Godwin AJOM, Calabar
The legacy project team lead and former special adviser to the president on Niger Delta, Senator Ita Enang has assured that the Calabar-Itu road will be commissioned in parts by the Buhari’s government before exiting in 2023.
He made the remarks during an on the spot assessment and site inspection on the road project and expressed optimism that the speed and quality of work on ground was satisfactory.
According to him, “the cost implication of the entire project is N185 billion; the part allotted to Sematech Construction Company is N79 billion, while that of Julius Berger is N54 billion, while the part awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Ltd.(CCECC) is 50.2 billion; totalling N185 Billion.
“Each of the companies have their completing periods because they weren’t signed at the same time. But the Sematech company has promised to deliver ahead of time and specifically on specifications.”
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Enang however didn’t mention a specific timeline of delivery for the project but he explained that “a great part of it would be completed by the terminal date of this(Buhari’s government) and we expect Mr President will commission part of the road and bridges fully completed.
“I am impressed with what has been done so far and other companies have challenges of funding; the Julius Berger part of the project is funded by Sukuk Fund, other windows funding these projects are Federal Ministry of Works budget, loans through the Sukuk fund, and then the Critical Infrastructure Fund of NNPC Tax Credit of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). Please we haven’t abandoned this project,” Enang said.
One of the site engineers from Sematech Construction Company, Chibuzor iheanachor, gave some analysis of the project, “This place is the Okpokom Bridge; on this stretch we have done sand filling on both sides of the road and the earth work formation level, the essence is to prepare it for the dry season.
“We have four bridge on the site; three in Cross River axis and one at the Akwa Ibom axis of the road. At the bridge on the Akwa Ibom axis, we have done and finished the piles and even the Okpokam Bridge too in Cross River,.
“We also have a total of 45 culverts on the Cross River axis, which about 25 culverts have been done, while we have one on the Akwa Ibom axis and is completed. We at Sematech are contracted a coverage area of 11 kilometers stretch of the road between Cross River and Akwa Ibom states.”
