- The state of the road before NDDC intervened
There have been fresh revelations on the crisis that trailed the planned commissioning of some roads undertaken by the NDDC in parts of Calabar, Cross River State.
On Friday, a top local government official believed to be acting on superior orders was said to have led some thugs and security operatives to bring down canopies and banners bearing the imprimatur of the president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, hours before the scheduled time for the commissioning of the Nyaghasang road in Calabar.
The road, together with the Idang road in Calabar south was attracted by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, the senator representing Cross River South in the National Assembly. Ekpenyong is also the NDDC committee chairman in the senate.
He is known to have used his position in the senate to attract NDDC and other federal government projects to his state. But the state government claims that the Nyaghasang road project was their and that the NDDC did not inform it of plans to take over the construction.
Curiously, the state government was not known to have raised any eyebrows throughout the period of the road construction by the NDDC. On Saturday, the governor’s spokesman, Mr Nsa Gil said in a statement that the government never disrupted the commissioning of the NDDC roads project.
“We are not in conflict with the NDDC or any federal agency. However, for the sake of public trust and historical accuracy, it is important to state unequivocally that the NDDC projects were commissioned peacefully, and without any form of disruption.”
The statement did not, however, say anything about the canopies that were dismantled and the gun shots that rented the air around Nyaghasang and the blocking pf the road that was billed for commissioning.
But the statement “clarified that this particular road project was not initiated by the NDDC but by the Cross River State Government. It quoted the commissioner for works and infrastructure, Pius Ankpo as saying that “the Nyaghasang road was initiated and funded by the Cross River State Government. We have completed the drainage, concrete works, and channelization of the area, with construction still ongoing.
“The NDDC was never formally involved in the planning or execution of the project, and emphasized the importance of coordination when implementing infrastructure projects within the state. According to Edet, the NDDC has been advised that, going forward, it must engage the State Government, review the Bill of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation (BEME), and adhere to state construction standards before undertaking any project.”
TNN learnt that while the thugs were at their best at Nyaghasang, calls were made to Abuja, drawing attention to the drama in the area and how the NDDC project commissioning was being stalled by persons suspected to be part of the sub-national government.
It was after the calls that the thugs and security operatives were withdrawn and the road open for the NDDC and other federal government officials to drive through, after the Idang road had been commissioned peacefully.
It was gathered that the Nyaghasang road project was actually awarded by the Liyel Imoke government and work started on the drainage area, but was later abandoned. Sources around the area said successive governments did nothing on the road until the NDDC got into the picture and decided to intervene.
TNN tried to reach out to Ekpenyong so he could speak on the perceived rift between him and the governor, Senator Bassey Otu, his phone was switched off. But his legislative aide, Charles Ekanem told TNN that he was not aware of any rift between his boss and the governor.
In fact, he said it was the senator’s desire that the governor should return to office, having served the state well within a space of two years. He noted that the perceived rift was only the imagination of those who did not wish the state well.
