President Buhari
From: Diana Okon-Effiong, Calabar
The Cross river council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has called on President Muhammad Buhari to declare a State of Emergency on Federal Roads in the state.
This was contained in a communiqué after its monthly congress held in Calabar.The NUJ said that the bad condition of federal roads in the state has become a nightmare to the people.
“We want Mr President to declare a state of emergency on Calabar-Itu Federal road as well as Calabar-Ikom-Ogoja federal highway.These roads have become more or less death traps. The roads are obsolete, and have outlived its usefulness. These roads need total rehabilitation and reconstruction,” it stated.
The NUJ recalled that heavy duty vehicles capsizes almost on a daily basis on the Calabar-Itu road causing serious traffic snarl and untold hardship to other road users and motorists who often abandon their journeys or spend days on the road.
“ Calabar River on Calabar-Itu Road recently overflown its banks following a stormy rain. Wooden boats were used by fishermen to ferry travelers across the river. In the process, some people lost their lives when one of the boats capsised. The situation caused the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Calabar depot to suspend their services in the state. This has caused untold hardship to the citizens as petrol scarcity have persisted,” the union stated.
The NUJ also blamed the current high cost of commodities in Calabar and environs on the bad state of the roads.
It further congratulated the President for appointing Mr. Rotimi Amaechi as Minister for Transportation and urged the new minister to ensure the dredging of Calabar Port and construction of Calabar Seaport.
“We also congratulate our own, Mr Usani Uguru Usani on his appointment as Minister for Niger Delta Affairs. We call on him to see that the East-West road extends to Calabar to ease the transportation problem the state,” it stated.
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