The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, has directed emergency palliative works on the 117.1 Alesi-Ugeh-Katsina Ala-Ikom road. Fashola said this while on a 4 day facility tour of federal road infrastructure in the South-south geopolitical zone.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Deputy Director, Theodore Ogazechi, in which the minister recalled the unwholesome state of the road in the last raining season and said that since there was no possibility of completing the road within the year, an urgent intervention was necessary to remedy the hardship and accompanying terror experienced by drivers and commuters on the road.
The road forms part of the Calabar-Ikom Road and connects Cross River, Ebonyi and Benue States and the rehabilitation of the failed asphaltic concrete work is being handled by Messrs Sermatech Nigeria Limited and CCECC Nigeria Limited.
Earlier, the Minister paid a courtesy call on the Governor of Cross River State and was received by the Deputy Governor, Professor Evera Isu.
Professor Isu thanked the Minister for his physical presence to have an on the spot assessment of the road infrastructure in his state and urged the Minister to urgently review the case of Mbok junction to Abuochiche road which he said was in a very bad state.
He also prayed the Minister to assist in re-reimbursing the state government for their intervention on failed federal roads in the state, noting that the state requires the money to make further interventions.
The Minister had earlier stated that all efforts to re-reimburse the state was already on course and is currently being considered by the Federal Executive Council for final approval
The Minister who was accompanied by the Director Construction and Rehabilitation, Engr. Yemi Oguntominiyi and the Zonal Director, South South Engr. Charles Okonma also paid a courtesy call on the Governor of Akwa Ibom State and was also received by the Deputy Governor of the state.
