Calabar-Itu Express Road: Julius Berger, Sermatech to resume work following contract variation, compensation to littoral communities

Motorists and commuters plying the deplorable Calabar-Itu road, a major access route linking Cross River State to the rest of the country would soon hive a sigh of relief as construction giant, Julius Berger and Sermatech are set to return to site for construction.

The development followed the concerted effort by the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, and Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu to address the sticking issues which stalled the earlier progress of construction work on the deplorable road which forced contractors to abandon site last year.

The acting controller, Federal Ministry of Works in Cross River State, Engr. Mrs. Adebisi Osim who made the disclosure in Calabar said, “in the interim, emergency palliative measures is currently underway to avert traffic jam to ameliorate the sufferings of road users”.

Engr. Osim gave the insight while hosting a group known as Cross River South Consultative Forum which paid her a courtesy visit in her office.

According to her “I am glad to announce that Julius Berger and Sermatech are returning to site to resume construction work at both ends of the Calabar-Itu-Ikot Ekpene road. The various issues which stalled further execution of the contract have been sorted”.

“This is due to the peculiar priority attention accorded the project by our boss, the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, bolstered by the interest of Governor Bassey Otu who has waded in to handle the issue of compensation which was a major factor”.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has approved the variation cost of the Calabar Itu road from N79,649 billion to N118, 412 billion owing to prevailing cost of materials. This followed the decision of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, to approve a total sum of N42.4 billion to bankroll variation cost for three federal roads in the country.

By: Archibong Emmanuel
(Snr. Reporter)