Mfum-Okpoma-Abuochichie-Obudu Ranch road: Ayade expresses satisfaction with quality of work

Cross River State Governor, professor Ben Ayade interacting with site engineers from Sydney Construction Company, during an unscheduled visit to the Ogoja-Okuku section of the 142KMs northern Cross River Road dualization project.

Cross River governor, Prof Ben Ayade, recently said he is impressed and satisfied with the quality of work done by the contractors handling the Mfum-Okpoma-Abuochichie-Obudu ranch road.

The project which is about 141km and stretches across the five local government areas in the northern senatorial district of the state is financed by the Cross River government and handled by a road construction giant, Sydney contractors.

Ayade who was in Yala local government area of the state for the burial of a former minister of Information and later Environment, Hon John Odey, used the opportunity to see the progress of work done at the Okuku- Igoli axis of the road.

"I am quite impressed and satisfied with the quality of work. The contractors, Sydney Group, are defiling and beating the rain to ensure that the job is done and I must commend them as they have really showed capacity while demonstrating patience and understanding to government," the governor remarked.

Expressing shock that the rains were still heavy in November, Ayade assured that in three months time, the job target will be reached as the contractors have continued to work despite the heavy rains that threaten the ongoing project aimed at ameliorating the sufferings of the citizenry as well as other road users.

According to the governor, "it is like doing the job twice. They have finished preparing this place, ready for stone base. Now, because of the heavy rain, they have to do another redressing, getting it ready yet again, which is another full earthworks, full compaction in readiness of stone base."

He disclosed that although the state has no money to finance such project, he had no option than to  give his commitment, using intellectual money to get it done as an appreciation for the overwhelming support he got from the electorates during the election that brought him to office as the governor.

"You can see that they (contractors) are already at Yala, they have crossed the Rice mill and by next week they will be at Okuku junction and start facing Okpoma," Ayade intimated, adding that, "the job is almost done and I am particularly impressed with the quality of work."

The governor enjoined the people of the northern senatorial district and entire CrossRiverians to be patient, "for surely the road will be done. There is no day you have driven through this road, during rain or no rain except for Christmas or national strike, that you will not see work going on here."

Site manager of the construction group, Engr. Elias Kalouf, giving an overview of the project explained that, "we have started laying stone base from the beginning of Ogoja and this is followed with priming. In Obudu, we have started asphalting from the Army checkpoint."

On why they chose not to do the job from end to end, Kalouf clarified that, "here in Ogoja, the area is down. If you keep the latrite inside the town, it will make the place dirty especially now that it is still raining."

He assured that CrossRiverians will begin to enjoy the road in three months time as the laying of stone base will be achieved from end to end in spite of the challenges posed by the rains.