South Eastern Nigerian road project stalls

Construction work on the upgrade of the road connecting Calabar with Itu and Ikot Ekpene in South East Nigeria has once again ground to a halt. The contractor carrying out the work, Julius Berger, has transferred personnel and equipment to other projects. This action has been taken due to a delay in payments for the work to the contractor. The road is now in extremely poor condition, which is a key problem for transport between Cross River State and Akwa Ibom State. Much of the road is now said to be virt
July 24, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

Construction work on the upgrade of the road connecting Calabar with Itu and Ikot Ekpene in South East Nigeria has once again ground to a halt. The contractor carrying out the work, Julius Berger, has transferred personnel and equipment to other projects. This action has been taken due to a delay in payments for the work to the contractor.

The road is now in extremely poor condition, which is a key problem for transport between Cross River State and Akwa Ibom State. Much of the road is now said to be virtually impassable, with heavy vehicles having to take a much longer route to the north via Umauhia. Light vehicles such as cars and motorcycles are still able to use the many dirt roads criss-crossing the area, although journey times are longer and safety and capacity are key concerns.

That Calabar, one of Nigeria’s important cities, is suffering such poor transport connections as a result is a major problem for the economy of Cross River State in particular and the south east of the country in general.

The two lane road was surfaced in the 1970s and then patched up periodically, with the route becoming progressively more dilapidated. The project to widen the route to a dual carriageway was one of several put forward by president Buhari in the run up to his election for his second period in office.

Maintenance

Related Content

  • Almost gone: Canada’s old Port Mann Bridge deconstructed
    August 14, 2015
    Three years ago a welder’s cut halved Canada’s old Port Mann Bridge. David Arminas reports from the banks of the Fraser River. By the time this issue of World Highways reaches you, one of Canada’s iconic steel arch bridges will be a shadow of its former self. It’s been a three-year demolition job since the first cut across the deck of the old Port Mann Bridge just outside the city of Vancouver on Canada’s Pacific coast. A new 10-lane 2.2km Port Mann Bridge opened in 2012 (see box). It runs parallel to the o
    Read More
  • Delays for new interchange project in Ghana
    July 26, 2013
    Work on a major interchange in the Ghanaian city of Kumasi is close to completion. This is reputed to be the biggest interchange in West Africa and is located at Sofoline, forming part of a project to rebuild Sunyani Road which runs through Kumasi. This interchange has been partially opened and has already helped to cut congestion in the city although the project has suffered a series of delays. Several portions of work on the interchange still remain to be carried out and include lighting and signage. This
    Read More
  • East End Crossing Project—Availability payment P3 in action
    July 14, 2017
    Indiana exercised its authority to use a P3 contract when it partnered with Kentucky for new bridges across the Ohio River. Barney Allison and John Smolen* explain the groundbreaking availability payment deal. Earlier this year, traffic began rolling over the new tolled Lewis and Clark Bridge spanning the Ohio River from northern Kentucky to southern Indiana. The cable-stayed bridge is part of the award-winning Ohio Bridges Project to untangle traffic within the greater metropolitan area of Louisville, Kent
    Read More
  • Brisbane's highway of distinction
    August 2, 2012
    A massive AU$2 billion update of the Gateway Motorway in Queensland is underway to improve an infrastructure stretched by population boom. Report and photographs by Adrian Greeman Just 20 years after the Australian city of Brisbane built its Gateway Motorway with a high slim signature bridge dominating the river skyline, the road is being completely revamped. Some 12km of urban route on the south of the Brisbane River is being expanded to take much increased traffic levels; the north is getting a completely
    Read More

Highlighted Content