By Uchenna Oriaku
Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, in Cross River State, Hon Pius Edet has stated that massive infrastructural development of Cross River State had taken place under the leadership of Governor Bassey Otu.
In this interview, Edet spoke on the state’s achievements around roads and the overall infrastructural development of the state under the current governor.
Can you give us an overview of the performance of the ministry since you assumed office?
Well, the ministry has performed well because His Excellency, the Governor of Cross Rivers State prioritises infrastructural development in the state and that is borne out of infrastructural deficit that we met when we came into office in 2023. And in line with his people-first mantra, the people must reap dividends of democracy. How to measure democracy performance and development is through infrastructural development, human capital development that enhances rural communities capacity and urban development.
But as the commissioner saddled with the responsibility of handling infrastructural development, I can say we have done a whole lot of work, which includes construction of road networks in Cross River State. The state is made up of three senatorial zones, namely Southern Senatorial Zone, Northern Senatorial Zone and Central Senatorial Zone. The governor, Apostle Bassey Edet Otu is from the Southern Senatorial Zone but he didn’t look at that to domicile all the projects in the Southern Senatorial Zone alone. He spreads the projects across all the eighteen local government areas of Cross River State.
In the Central Senatorial Zone, we have done a lot of road networks but calculatedly we have awarded about 426.72 kilometres of roads. I speak; we have asphalted and completed about 126 kilometres of roads in a space of three years in office.
We have done rehabilitation, maintenance and construction. We are constructing roads in the central area of Cross River, which the people are pleased with. We have done roads in Ikom and also in Ugep. We have done roads in Obubra Local Government and in Boki East/West Road. We are presently working on Ikom/Obudu, which is a federal highway.
There is a project that was initiated during the military era 34 years ago and there was no successive government that has deemed it fit to give a touch to such project but the governor has taken the bold step to take that project though, it is a federal project. The project is from the Tinapa section to Odukpani axis, which is almost 10 kilometres road.
It is just like what our President Bola Tinubu is doing by constructing the Lagos/Calabar Road within the swampy areas and our own governor has taken the same bold step in ensuring that roads are done, no matter the terrain. This is a project no past government paid heed to. We are also building two other bridges. One is completed while the other is still on going.
We have also done about 29 kilometres of road in Akamkpa linked to Obansan Road, which links Trans African Border Road.
In Yala Local Government, the governor is presently constructing the Ukelle Road. Under this government of Prince Bassey Edet Otu, Ukelle has been heard through the award of contract of construction of Ukelle Road, which is presently on-going, and almost nearing completion. So, the governor has come to Ogoja and if you go to Ogoja today you will wonder at the construction of network of roads going on there.
The popular Mbu Junction heading to Abakpa area has been constructed. The popular Abakpa Bridge is looking like a modern day bridge.
The government of Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu is just three years in office and with the meagre resources available to the state, he has been able to achieve a lot.
To cater for the welfare of security agencies, we have constructed internal road networks in the Air Force, in the Police Headquarters and their camps, and others. All of these are courtesy of this administration.
But there are complaints that some of the roads are not in good shape. How true is that?
Well, it depends on who releases the statement and what he means that it is not in good shape. But we of the Ministry of Works can make bold to say that the roads are all in good shape. There is no deformity in any way and in case you see any natural occurrences like accidents in any way, form or manner it has happened, it has nothing to do with our standard because we don’t compromise with our standard.
In some areas like, if you are going to Ukelle for instance, we are doing the binding course and wearing course, we ensure that both 60/40 layers of asphalt are put in place. In Boki East/West Road where we are now, I just left there. The roads that are on-going there are all of good standard. When we go to a site and we realise that there is any misunderstanding with the contractor and engineers on site, we refer them back to Bid of Engineering Management and Evaluation. So for anyone to say that we are not doing standard roads they are all fabricated stories by the opposition parties to see how they can discredit the government and of course we are not ignorant of that because this is characteristic of the opposition.
How have the other areas fared, besides roads?
Well, we have inspected hospital projects in Ikom initiated by this government and it has gotten to very significant level of completion. We had hospital that was initiated by past government but abandoned in different locations, which this administration revisited. Our health centres have been renovated and equipped in different locations,
Even in schools, many other things in State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has built quite a number of schools across the 18 local government areas of the state and across the 196 wards. I can’t even talk about other projects that have been spread across the entire state within three years in office.
However, beyond roads, there are a lot of other things we have been able to fix across the 196 wards of the state to enhance development in the state.
What actually informed your decision to accept the appointment as the Honourable Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Development in Cross River State?
Well, I think it is said that success comes when opportunity meets preparation. I have prepared for this office for more than 32 years. I have been in construction industry for more than 30 years. Beyond being here too, I have been able to manage series of investments. I wasn’t a pauper. I have been a businessman who has handled a lot of contracts in different projects in different fields.
I have done a lot of contracts and I have done jobs with the state government. With that I have been able to understand financial prudence and also understand what it takes to put things in order and manage public funds.
And before being appointed Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Development, I have served as party chairman for eight years. I have also served as Director in Safety Commission, I have also served as SA to the governor on Agriculture and I was later promoted to Commissioner for Science and Technology. And so this is part of the ladder that catapulted me to the position of Commissioner for Works and Infrastructural Development. And like it was said, any man that has not created wealth cannot manage wealth because over the years, I have created sustainable wealth and so that gives me the ability to manage the office as the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Development.
What has been the most challenging aspect of your office since you assumed office as the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure?
Well, the major challenge in my office is the challenge of the state. The challenge of the state is lack of funds because you may have the willingness to do the implementation of the projects across all the communities. But because of paucity of funds, we cannot achieve all of that. So, we prioritise the projects and see how we can reach everywhere.
Then, my challenge is when you go for inspection, communities that don’t have roads will be calling because everybody wants roads but the resources are not enough. So my major challenge is tied to the challenge of the state’s paucity of funds. Otherwise, you would have implemented a whole lot of projects for the people of the various communities.
Was it a political sacrifice for you to accept the appointment?
No, it was not a political sacrifice. Rather the governor knows those that he can work with to achieve his administration’s agenda.
With political activities gradually building up ahead of 2027 general election, do you think that the APC in Cross River State remains united and focused for the battle ahead?
Let me tell you – the All Progressive Congress in Cross River State is united and focused for the 2027 general elections because the governor has performed creditably well to win a landslide victory. I don’t see anybody beating the governor in Cross River State. For President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he will receive our full support in this state come next general election.
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<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
