Ground breaking of the 260 klm dual superhighway at Obung, Cross River by President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday. 20/10/15.
President Buhari at the
Ground breaking of the 260 klm dual superhighway at Obung, Cross River by President on Tuesday. 20/10/15.
From: Diana Okon-Effiong, Calabar
The Federal Government has expressed its resolve to encourage Cross River Government to complete the 260-kilometre dual Superhighway for commissioning within the first tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s gave the assurance on Tuesday in a speech at the ground-breaking ceremony of the road at Obung in Akamkpa Local Government Area of the State.
He said that the Federal Government was pleased that Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River embarked on the construction of the road over which ground breaking remained the first under Buhari’s administration.
He also expressed the hope that the road would open windows of opportunities to the people of the state and Nigeria as a whole.
Buhari said: “The road will open a window of opportunity for the people of Cross River State and Nigeria as a whole as well as reduce travel time.That I am here in person underscores the importance the Federal Government attaches to this. It is indeed a significant milestone in the economic and policy of the governor.
“This is the first groundbreaking under my presidency. I commend Ayade and his team for their foresight in conceptualising this project. I want to assure you of the commitment of the Federal Government to ensure the completion of the project. I promise I will come back to commission it. I urge the governor to ensure work is done on it quickly.
Earlier, Ayade said the road would serve as an evacuation corridor for goods expected from the Bakassi Seaport proposed by this administration.
He also lauded the president for making Cross River the first where he performed the first ground breaking ceremony within his administration in Nigeria.
Ayade said: “You said you are for everyone and today you have proven this by your support for us.That is because given the circumstances of our nation and the politics, Cross River State would not have been worthy of being your first port of call. You have shown that you are truly a president.”
The governor also explained that the road was conceived to assuage for the loss of Bakassi Peninsula to the Republic of Cameroun by Cross River.
“The ontological kinetics of the road started with the loss of oil wells, consequent on the loss of Bakassi. The state was reduced to want. It became imperative to reconstruct a new means of production and open a horizon to get teeming young men employed. The road will serve as an evacuation corridor for the new deep seaport. The seaport will have a draft of 14 metres a d a key wall of 680 meters that will allow for all sizes of vessels to berth.
The road will be the first to have broadband Internet connectivity, speed cameras, ambulatory services, photology solar system,” Ayade stated.
The president, accompanied to the ceremony by Gov. Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom and Owelle Rochas Okorocha of Imo, left the state via the Margaret Ekpo International airport.
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