MOTION ON THE DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS OF IKOT EKPENE-UMUAHIA AND ABA-IKOT EKPENE HIGHWAYS LINKING AKWA IBOM AND ABIA STATES
MOTION ON THE DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS OF IKOT EKPENE-UMUAHIA AND ABA-IKOT EKPENE HIGHWAYS LINKING AKWA IBOM AND ABIA STATES
Senator Chris Ekpenyong( Akwa Ibom North West)
Mr. President, Distinguished Colleagues, it is my pleasure and great privilege to present this motion to this hallowed chambers.
The motion before this senate is on The Deplorable Conditions of the Ikot Ekpene – Umuahia and Aba-Ikot Ekpene Highways. These roads are major roads linking Abia and Akwa Ibom States.
The motion seeks to draw The Federal Government’s attention to the bad conditions of these roads for urgent and swift intervention.
Mr President, Distinguished Colleagues, Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene road was first constructed in the early 60’s shortly after Nigeria’s Independence, and since then subsequent Governments have not done significant developments on the road in terms of expansion and even routine maintenance. The Two States have tried within their limited resources to keep the road motor-able by carrying out temporal maintenance work which to a large extent does not stand the test of time.
Mr President, Distinguished Colleagues, these roads are major roads connecting the South-West, North Central, South East and the South-South States of Edo and Delta to Akwa Ibom and Cross River States, in the Northern flank. Hence, the rehabilitation/reconstruction of these roads are of a great concern to me, my people and indeed Nigerians of goodwill.
The situation of the roads is worst during raining seasons, especially Umuahia- Ikot Ekpene road. Like now, you can’t traverse that road comfortably, as a matter of fact; the road presently is not passable. Most of the broken portions have become rivers and water logs. It’s now a safe haven for hoodlums as they have taken advantage of these bad sections to operate freely especially at night.
As an alternative, passengers and travellers on that road now ply an interior road through Umuahia-Ikwerazu road, in Obot Akara Local Government Area to get to Ikot Ekpene, and then continue their journey.
More worrisome is the fact that, this alternative route is so fragile and not capable of carrying heavy duty vehicles which its presently experiencing and no sooner or later might get dilapidated. The road was constructed by Akwa Ibom State Government to ease movements of children to schools and farm produce to the City Centre of Ikot Ekpene and other rural areas of Akwa Ibom State and beyond.
Mr. President, Distinguished Colleagues, I am worried that with the present situation of that road, if expedite steps are not taken to salvage the situation, the two states may be completely ousted and my people will not only be denied passable roads to travel back home, but will also be taken to the ‘Aged Long Days’, while Nigeria as at today is making efforts to move to the NEXT LEVEL!
It will interest you to note that Aba-Ikot Ekpene road is equally a no-go area, as it has now become a farmland.
Please note that contract for the reconstruction of Aba-Ikot Ekpene road was awarded by the Federal Ministry of Works to NIGERCATCONSTRUCTION COMPANY since 2008, and had been abandoned since then.
The roads in issue are also major commercial routes, where traders, farmers, and even construction companies uses to being-in their goods and services to and fro these two states. Hence these activities have grossly been hampered by the sorry state of the road.
Mr. President, Distinguished Colleagues, it is on the basis of these that I urge the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Works to mandate the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), to as a matter of urgency commence maintenance work on the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene road at the main time in order to salvage the situation, while a permanent and lasting solution should be considered in the nearest future. I also urge the security agencies to intensify security surveillance on the road to checkmate activities of hoodlums.
Finally,
Mr. President, Distinguished Colleagues, I therefore appeal that we will give pertinent attention and support to this motion in the interest of the Citizens of these two states and Nigerians who ply these roads on daily basis.
Prayer:
1. Urge the Federal Government through Federal Road Maintenance Agency(FERMA) to expedite actions on intervention measures to salvage the road from total collapse.
2. Urge the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Works to commence construction of the ABA-IKOT EKPENE road as a lasting solution, and possibly make it a dual carriage road.
3. Urge this Senate to investigate the delay in the construction of Aba-Ikot Ekpene road which was awarded to NIGERCAT CONSTRUCTION COMPANY since 2008.
4. Urge the Security agencies, especially the Police to deploy their personnel to those grey spots, where hoodlums have found solace and made it their habitable abode mostly at odd hours.
Thank You.
Sponsor: Sen. Christopher S. Ekpenyong (Akwa Ibom NorthWest)
Co-Sponsors:
Sen. Abaribe, Enyinnaya Harcourt (Abia South)
Sen. Kalu, Orji Uzor (Abia North)
Sen. Orji, Theodore Ahamefule (Abia Central)
Sen. Abdulahhi, Yahaya Abubakar (Kebbi North)
Sen. Dahiru, Aishatu Ahmed (Adamawa Central)
Sen. Akpan, Albert Bassey (Akwa Ibom North East)
Sen. Eyakenyi, Akon Etim (Akwa Ibom South)
Sen. Ekwunife, Uche Lillian (Anambra Central)
Sen. Ubah, Ifeanyi Patrick (Anambra South)
Sen. Bulkachuwa, Adamu Muhammad (Bbauchi North)
Sen. Suswam, Gabriel Torwua (Benue North East)
Sen. Moro, Abba Patrick (Benue South)
Sen. Shettima, Kashim (Borno Central)
Sen. Onor, Sandy Ojang (Cross River Central)
Sen. Ooko, Rose Okoji (Cross River North)
Sen. Bassey, Gershom Henry (Cross River South)
Sen. Manager, James Ebiowou (Delta South)
Sen. Omo-Agege, Ovie Augustine (Delta Central)
Sen. Adeyeye, Adedayo (Ekiti South)
Sen. Nnamani, Chimaroke Ogbonnia (Enugu East)
Sen. Okorocha, Anayo Rochas (Imo West)
Sen. Hadeja, Hassan Ibrahim (Jigawa North-East)
Sen. Sani, Uba (Kaduna Central)
Sen. Shekarau, Ibrahim (Kano Central)
Sen. Gaya, Kabiru Ibrahim (Kano South)
Sen. Yakubu, Oseni (Kogi Central)
Sen. Tinubu, Oluremi Shade (Lagos Central)
Sen, Amosun, Ibikunle Oyelaja (Ogun Central)
Sen. Tofowomo, Nnicholas Olubukola (Ondo South)
Sen. Fadahunsi, Francis Adenigba (Osun East)
Sen. Balogun, Kola Ademola (Oyo South)
Sen. Dimka, Hezekiah Ayuba (Plateau Central)
Sen. Sekibo, George Thompson (Rivers East)
Sen. Apiafi, Betty Jocelyn (Rivers West)
Senator Chris Ekpenyong( Akwa Ibom North West)
Mr. President, Distinguished Colleagues, it is my pleasure and great privilege to present this motion to this hallowed chambers.
The motion before this senate is on The Deplorable Conditions of the Ikot Ekpene – Umuahia and Aba-Ikot Ekpene Highways. These roads are major roads linking Abia and Akwa Ibom States.
The motion seeks to draw The Federal Government’s attention to the bad conditions of these roads for urgent and swift intervention.
Mr President, Distinguished Colleagues, Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene road was first constructed in the early 60’s shortly after Nigeria’s Independence, and since then subsequent Governments have not done significant developments on the road in terms of expansion and even routine maintenance. The Two States have tried within their limited resources to keep the road motor-able by carrying out temporal maintenance work which to a large extent does not stand the test of time.
Mr President, Distinguished Colleagues, these roads are major roads connecting the South-West, North Central, South East and the South-South States of Edo and Delta to Akwa Ibom and Cross River States, in the Northern flank. Hence, the rehabilitation/reconstruction of these roads are of a great concern to me, my people and indeed Nigerians of goodwill.
The situation of the roads is worst during raining seasons, especially Umuahia- Ikot Ekpene road. Like now, you can’t traverse that road comfortably, as a matter of fact; the road presently is not passable. Most of the broken portions have become rivers and water logs. It’s now a safe haven for hoodlums as they have taken advantage of these bad sections to operate freely especially at night.
As an alternative, passengers and travellers on that road now ply an interior road through Umuahia-Ikwerazu road, in Obot Akara Local Government Area to get to Ikot Ekpene, and then continue their journey.
More worrisome is the fact that, this alternative route is so fragile and not capable of carrying heavy duty vehicles which its presently experiencing and no sooner or later might get dilapidated. The road was constructed by Akwa Ibom State Government to ease movements of children to schools and farm produce to the City Centre of Ikot Ekpene and other rural areas of Akwa Ibom State and beyond.
Mr. President, Distinguished Colleagues, I am worried that with the present situation of that road, if expedite steps are not taken to salvage the situation, the two states may be completely ousted and my people will not only be denied passable roads to travel back home, but will also be taken to the ‘Aged Long Days’, while Nigeria as at today is making efforts to move to the NEXT LEVEL!
It will interest you to note that Aba-Ikot Ekpene road is equally a no-go area, as it has now become a farmland.
Please note that contract for the reconstruction of Aba-Ikot Ekpene road was awarded by the Federal Ministry of Works to NIGERCATCONSTRUCTION COMPANY since 2008, and had been abandoned since then.
The roads in issue are also major commercial routes, where traders, farmers, and even construction companies uses to being-in their goods and services to and fro these two states. Hence these activities have grossly been hampered by the sorry state of the road.
Mr. President, Distinguished Colleagues, it is on the basis of these that I urge the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Works to mandate the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), to as a matter of urgency commence maintenance work on the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene road at the main time in order to salvage the situation, while a permanent and lasting solution should be considered in the nearest future. I also urge the security agencies to intensify security surveillance on the road to checkmate activities of hoodlums.
Finally,
Mr. President, Distinguished Colleagues, I therefore appeal that we will give pertinent attention and support to this motion in the interest of the Citizens of these two states and Nigerians who ply these roads on daily basis.
Prayer:
1. Urge the Federal Government through Federal Road Maintenance Agency(FERMA) to expedite actions on intervention measures to salvage the road from total collapse.
2. Urge the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Works to commence construction of the ABA-IKOT EKPENE road as a lasting solution, and possibly make it a dual carriage road.
3. Urge this Senate to investigate the delay in the construction of Aba-Ikot Ekpene road which was awarded to NIGERCAT CONSTRUCTION COMPANY since 2008.
4. Urge the Security agencies, especially the Police to deploy their personnel to those grey spots, where hoodlums have found solace and made it their habitable abode mostly at odd hours.
Thank You.
Sponsor: Sen. Christopher S. Ekpenyong (Akwa Ibom NorthWest)
Co-Sponsors:
Sen. Abaribe, Enyinnaya Harcourt (Abia South)
Sen. Kalu, Orji Uzor (Abia North)
Sen. Orji, Theodore Ahamefule (Abia Central)
Sen. Abdulahhi, Yahaya Abubakar (Kebbi North)
Sen. Dahiru, Aishatu Ahmed (Adamawa Central)
Sen. Akpan, Albert Bassey (Akwa Ibom North East)
Sen. Eyakenyi, Akon Etim (Akwa Ibom South)
Sen. Ekwunife, Uche Lillian (Anambra Central)
Sen. Ubah, Ifeanyi Patrick (Anambra South)
Sen. Bulkachuwa, Adamu Muhammad (Bbauchi North)
Sen. Suswam, Gabriel Torwua (Benue North East)
Sen. Moro, Abba Patrick (Benue South)
Sen. Shettima, Kashim (Borno Central)
Sen. Onor, Sandy Ojang (Cross River Central)
Sen. Ooko, Rose Okoji (Cross River North)
Sen. Bassey, Gershom Henry (Cross River South)
Sen. Manager, James Ebiowou (Delta South)
Sen. Omo-Agege, Ovie Augustine (Delta Central)
Sen. Adeyeye, Adedayo (Ekiti South)
Sen. Nnamani, Chimaroke Ogbonnia (Enugu East)
Sen. Okorocha, Anayo Rochas (Imo West)
Sen. Hadeja, Hassan Ibrahim (Jigawa North-East)
Sen. Sani, Uba (Kaduna Central)
Sen. Shekarau, Ibrahim (Kano Central)
Sen. Gaya, Kabiru Ibrahim (Kano South)
Sen. Yakubu, Oseni (Kogi Central)
Sen. Tinubu, Oluremi Shade (Lagos Central)
Sen, Amosun, Ibikunle Oyelaja (Ogun Central)
Sen. Tofowomo, Nnicholas Olubukola (Ondo South)
Sen. Fadahunsi, Francis Adenigba (Osun East)
Sen. Balogun, Kola Ademola (Oyo South)
Sen. Dimka, Hezekiah Ayuba (Plateau Central)
Sen. Sekibo, George Thompson (Rivers East)
Sen. Apiafi, Betty Jocelyn (Rivers West)
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