A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Comrade Abang Pius Besong, has criticised the Federal Government over the deplorable condition of the 140-kilometre Ikom-Boki-Obudu federal highway in Cross River State, calling for its urgent rehabilitation.
Besong, the PDP candidate for Ikom/Boki Federal Constituency, urged President Bola Tinubu, Governor Bassey Otu and the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to intervene, warning that the collapsed road had severely disrupted economic activities and movement in Boki communities.
He made the appeal on Saturday while reacting to the deteriorating condition of the highway, also known as the Ikom-Wula-Obudu Road.
Describing the road as the lifeline of the Boki people, Besong said its impassable sections had effectively cut off communities and subjected residents to severe economic hardship.
He lamented that farmers were struggling to transport their produce to markets, while rising transportation costs and the risk of post-harvest losses continued to hurt livelihoods.
Viral videos circulating online, he noted, showed trucks and buses conveying agricultural produce trapped in deep mud along the route.
Besong said Boki’s rich agricultural resources, including cocoa and timber, contributed significantly to the economies of Cross River State and Nigeria, yet the area continued to suffer infrastructure neglect.
He warned that the road’s condition had implications for food security, education, healthcare, local commerce and the general welfare of residents.
The PDP chieftain called on Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Works, David Umahi, Governor Otu, federal lawmakers representing Cross River and relevant development agencies to set aside political differences and address the problem.
He urged the authorities to conduct an immediate assessment of the 140-kilometre stretch, identify and document the worst-hit sections, and commence emergency repairs pending comprehensive rehabilitation.
Besong stressed that restoring the road was essential to reconnecting Boki communities with Ikom and other economic centres, easing the movement of people and goods, and reviving commercial activities in the area.