The Federal Government on Tuesday admitted that money allocated for the reconstruction of the Calabar-Itu road in the 2021 budget would not be enough to carry the project far.
It is also considering sourcing for money from the Niger Delta Development Commission and Sukkuk bond to finance substantial part of the project next year.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Enang made this known while inspecting a four kilometer portion of the the highway already completed by Julius Berger PLC.
He commended the company for the quality of road adding that the standard was in accordance with the design by the federal ministry of Works and Housing.
“This is the portion which has been completed by Julius Berger, it’s only about three to four kilometer of the 22 kilometers that they have completed both besides with the pavement. Not that nothing has been done, just that they haven’t completed and gone far.
“We appreciate the quality of the road, if you see the width and everything is according as designed by the federal ministry of Works and Housing, and they have completed it according to standard.
“I want the people of Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Abia States to commend and appreciate the President Mohammadu Buhari and we want to assure that the rest of the project will be funded more in the next budget.
“There is money in the 2021 budget, but it is not much to go far for this, but the one we’re anxious to commence is the aspect of the road that was awarded to CCECC which they are they are yet to commence because we are yet to mobilise them.
“We are trying to get funds from the Niger Delta Development Commission, from other sources and of course from Sukkuk bond to be able to complete these sides.” Enang said.
It would be recalled that the Federal highway project whose contract was awarded in 2019 has suffered several setbacks due to low budgetary provisions and have remained dilapidated for more than 30 years, adversely affecting the social and economic lives of both Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.
