Senate president Godswill Akpabio and the Akwa Ibom State governor Umo Eno have applauded President Bola Tinubu for the unprecedented federal presence in the state from the centre under his watch.
“During my time as governor, I didn‘t have a single federal project in the state,” the Senate President recalled, explaining that he had to personally deploy state resources into developing federal infrastructure in the state while awaiting refunds from the centre, which were not reimbursed at the time he left office in 2015.
The duo spoke at the stakeholders engagement summit on the alignment of sections 3‘B’ and 4 of the Akwa Ibom – Cross River portions of the Lagos -Calabar Coastal highway, which took place at Ibom Hall Uyo on Saturday and later in Calabar on Sunday.
Akpabio, therefore, commended Governor Eno for jettisoning the sentiment of party politics and connecting with the President Tinubu-led federal government at the centre.
Besides, Akpabio, who assured Governor Eno, of his full backing to ensure the successful implementation of all federal projects in the state and the region, disclosed that the President had given him (Akpabio) his words on all – round infrastructural developments in the country under the ‚Renewed Hope Agenda‘ of the administration and urged the governor to guarantee security for the contractors.
The governor assured maximum cooperation towards the actualisation of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a 700km road that will link Lagos State with Cross River State, through the shoreline states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Rivers, Ogun and Ondo.
The governor assured that the state government would liaise with groups, communities, and stakeholders to smoothly implement the Akwa Ibom portion of the coastal highway.
“Let me assure you that we will cooperate with you at any time and in whichever way you want so that we can actualise the vision of Mr President on this coastal road.
“Whatever you think we need to do to show support or talk to our young people, whether it is security, just call our attention and we will be willing to give that support. It is a commitment that I make consciously, and as you begin, we will work with you,” he assured.
The governor also used the occasion to call on the federal government through the minister of works, Engr. David Umahi, to revisit the 13-km road project, with the bridge to connect Mbo LGA to Hope King Cemetery in Calabar, which was awarded to CCECC by the immediate past administration of Muhammadu Buhari, but had since been abandoned.
On the Calabar-Itu highway, the governor said the government had completed the evaluation of properties on the project‘s right of way and released funds for compensation payment.
He called on the federal government to expedite action to complete the road, considering its importance to the people of the two South-South states of Cross River and Akwa Ibom and the entire nation.
On the Aba-Ikot Ekpene Road, the governor said, „We are conducting the valuation now, and we will also be able to work and pay the compensation to open up that corridor. We are willing to do all these things with the federal government to ensure that we bring the dividends of democracy to our people. We are in a hurry to work with the Senate President to ensure we finish whatever we must do here,“ the governor stressed.
Umahi noted that out of the total span of 700 km, 27Km of the section 3b and 80Km of section 4, totalling 107Km, fall within Akwa Ibom State boundaries, being the 4th longest portion of the entire coastal highway within a single state.
He commended Governor Eno for the peaceful and beautiful ambience in the state, particularly for his efforts in maintaining a cordial relationship with his predecessors.
He said for the Calabar-Itu Highway, the contractors have been given notice to mobilise to the site, warning that „by the end of next week, if Julius Berger and CCECC failed to mobilise to the site, the contracts would be terminated.“