Worried by the deplorable situation of the Calabar-Bakassi road in Cross River State, the South-South Solidarity Forum has staged a protest by blocking the federal highway to draw government’s attention.

It is the fifth time in the last two months that various groups would be staging protest over the bad state of the road.

The road, which is the major link between Calabar, Akpabuyo and Ikang, headquarters of Bakassi Local Government Area, is the exit route for transportation of products from the Mfamosing plant of the United Cement Company of Nigeria Limited.

Southern City News learnt that no fewer than 200 trucks loaded with cement pass through the route every day and each of them pays N12, 800 as road maintenance levy to the Cross River State Government.

Speaking during the protest, National President of SSSF, Dr. Bassey Umoh, said the group decided to block the road in order to draw the attention of relevant authorities to the plight of the people of the area.

Umoh said the road had now become a death trap and added that the people had in the past taken all civilised measures to attract the attention of the government, but nothing has been done.

He said, “You can see what we are passing through. This road has completely broken down and needs total rehabilitation. We want this road to be dualised or anything short of this will not be acceptable by us.”

He disclosed that SSSF in conjunction with various communities in the area had made several representations to the government on the deteriorating state of the road.

“The Federal Road Maintenance Agency used to do some remedial works here, sometimes the state government too. But the situation needs total reconstruction and dualisation because no remedial measure can solve the problem anymore,” he stated.

Umoh stated that the road which connects Nigeria with the Republic of Cameroun was too important to be left to wash away with nothing being done on it.

“It is a national disgrace because it is an international route. The Federal Government should come quickly and as a matter of urgency to avert further national embarrassment,” he said.

He said youths of the area would remain peaceful and law abiding while they continue to pursue their legitimate agitation for better living condition.

Also speaking, a traditional ruler in the area, Mr. Hogan Edem, said the people were losing their economic value daily due to the bad road network.

“We are suffering; my people are suffering; and our economy is wasting. Government should do something rapidly to reduce the suffering of my people,” he said.

The youths carried placards with various inscriptions such as, ‘South-South people have suffered enough’ ‘South-South deserve better roads’, among others.

 

Source: Punchng.com

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