Ita Enang hails Buhari for infrastructural development

Akpan Umoh, Uyo

The former Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Ita Enang, on Monday praised the Federal Government over infrastructure development in the country.

He said Buhari has shown commitment to the completion of projects, especially Calabar-Itu-Ikot Ekpene highway.

He said this during a facilities tour of the road with Journalists on Monday to see the extent of work done on the road.

According to him, the contract for the road in all is about N185 billion, N79 billion to SERMATECH Nig. Ltd, N54 billion to Julius Berger and N52 billion to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).

He said the road which links Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Abia and is funded by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) through a tax credit has a total span of 87 kilometres and would cost N185 billion.

Enang, who inspected the work on the road from the Mbak Obio Itam axis in Akwa Ibom to the Ayadehe bridge said that President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to inaugurating the road before the end of his administration.

“We are anxious that Mr President is committed to delivering on most of the projects including this, he is going to deliver on the second Niger bridge and we are going to inaugurate it in the next short moment and this road is going to be a great part of it.

“We are working towards it that is going be in the state, that Mr President personally touches his foot on this road and inaugurate this road for Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Abia people.

“We are impressed by the work we see SERMATECH do, so thanking SEMATECH you for what you are doing. We’ve seen the extent you have gone on the bridge and the relationship you have with the community and the challenges you having,” Enang said.

On the issue of compensation, Enang said the Akwa Ibom and Cross Rivers states have shown commitment to paying the compensation for property owners along the road.

He urged respective state governments to settle as soon as possible to avoid delays in road construction.

The former presidential aide said the President was addressing all challenges confronting the nation and urged Akwa Ibom people and all Nigerians to vote for All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next general elections.

“We are here telling the people of Akwa Ibom and Cross River that President Muhammadu Buhari has delivered in his campaign promises on infrastructure and other key areas. 

“We are having challenges in the economy and we are addressing it according to the world parameters. We all know the price of crude oil and the level of inflation.

“The President is addressing all these challenges and we are urging Akwa Ibom people and all Nigerians to vote for All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next general elections,” he said.

The Site Agent of SERMATECH Nigeria Ltd Mr Joe Ukpata, said pilling and other work on four bridges along the road were at an advanced stage and would be completed within the year.

Ukpata said SERMATECH was in charge of 28.6 kilometres of the road, adding that for the section they were handling, they were sure of quality work.

“The longest bridge is 260 metres, the piling work has been completed and we are moving to Ayadehe bridge, which is more than 50 per cent completed.

“We are sure that three of the bridges will be fully delivered this year, while the Calabar bridge will be done during the dry season because piling work can only be done during the dry season.

“We are making sure that everything that has to do with quality, we are giving top notch. As an indigenous company competing with giants.

“We know that we will be easily measured and we don’t want a situation where you travel through one contractor’s work and you come into our work and if there is any difference it should be something for better,” Ukpata said.