Reps demand construction of Oron-Calabar road awarded at N165.3bn 12 years ago

The House of Representatives on Thursday urged the Federal Government to commence construction of Section V, Phase I of the East-West Road linking Oron in Akwa Ibom State to Calabar in Cross River State, 12 years after the contract was approved.

The resolution was passed following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Martins Esin, who drew attention to the prolonged delay in executing the critical road project connecting the two states.

In his lead debate, Esin noted that the East-West Road was conceived as a major federal highway to connect communities and economic centres across the Niger Delta region and facilitate the movement of people, goods and services.

He recalled that the Federal Executive Council (FEC), under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, approved the construction contract for Section V, Phase I, covering the Oron-Calabar corridor, on October 22, 2014, at a cost of N165.3 billion.

The lawmaker also recalled that on December 3, 2014, the FEC approved an additional N661.33 million for the engineering supervision of the project.

Esin expressed concern that despite the approvals granted more than a decade ago, the Oron-Calabar section had yet to be completed, leaving a critical transportation link between Akwa Ibom and Cross River states unrealised.

He observed that the prolonged delay had continued to constrain the movement of people and goods between the two states, thereby limiting the economic and developmental benefits envisaged from the East-West Road.

According to the lawmaker, the Oron-Calabar corridor was conceived as the final stretch required to complete the East-West Road and strengthen connectivity across the Niger Delta region.

The House noted that the earlier FEC approvals provided the basis for the relevant authorities to take the necessary steps towards implementing the project and addressing the longstanding infrastructure gap.

Consequently, the House mandated the Federal Ministry of Works to take immediate steps to commence construction of the road from Oron in Akwa Ibom State to Calabar in Cross River State.

The House also urged the Federal Ministry of Works to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Finance to ensure that the construction of Section V, Phase I, was included in the 2027 budget estimates.

To ensure implementation of its resolutions, the House mandated the joint Committees on Appropriations and Works to monitor compliance with the directives and ensure that the project receives the necessary attention.