The long-abandoned 10-kilometer Adiabo-Ikoneto road, first conceived in 1992 under the Sani Abacha administration, is finally witnessing a resurgence after over three decades of stagnation. The project, a crucial arterial route designed to significantly reduce travel time between Calabar and Akwa Ibom, has now been reinvigorated by the Cross River State Government under Governor Prince Bassey Otu.
During an inspection tour on Monday, led by the Think Cross River Initiative alongside journalists, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Hon. Ankpo Pius, provided insights into the progress of the road, which was awarded to Zenith Construction in 2024. He noted that the project, originating from the Tinapa Bridge axis and culminating at Ikoneto, would incorporate two major bridges and a strategic realignment to enhance accessibility.
“The primary challenge lies in the swampy terrain, which necessitates extensive sand-filling and a prolonged curing period. This alone makes it difficult to set a definitive completion timeline,” Hon. Ankpo explained. “We are dealing with approximately 4 to 5 kilometers of marshland that requires filling to depths ranging between 3 to 5 meters. The magnitude of this undertaking is enormous, given the waterlogged nature of the area. However, in the next three to four months, we expect to complete the initial filling and open the road to traffic to allow for natural compaction before introducing laterite and further fortifying the foundation.”
Commending Governor Otu for his visionary leadership, the Commissioner emphasised the project’s significance in providing an alternative route to break the long-standing dependency on a single entry and exit route for Cross River State. “This road will not only redefine connectivity but will also cut travel distance between Calabar and Odukpani by a staggering 30 kilometers,” he stated.
He further revealed that since assuming office, the Prince Otu-led administration has initiated approximately 100 kilometers of road construction across the state, with 45 to 50 percent already completed. He also disclosed that the government had secured approvals for new infrastructural developments, including flyovers at Mobil-MCC and Effioete Roundabout, reinforcing its commitment to transformative urban renewal.
Meanwhile, the Initiator of Think Cross River, Mr Edem Darlington, lauded the project as a crucial intervention in addressing the long-standing infrastructural deficit in the region. He highlighted that the road serves as a lifeline for several communities, including Adiabo, Creek Town 1, Creek Town 2, and Ikoneto.
He recalled how the project, once entrusted to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), had suffered years of neglect, leaving commuters to endure the nightmarish conditions of the dilapidated Odukpani-Itu road. “The harrowing experience of Cross Riverians on that failed corridor is beyond measure. It is this very hardship that spurred the governor, in his characteristic compassion, to take decisive action,” Darlington asserted.
Accompanying the delegation on the tour were the Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media, Mr Andrea Ekeng Inyang, and the Special Assistant to the Governor on Communication, Mr Nathan Otaba, who both echoed the administration’s unwavering commitment to infrastructure-driven economic rejuvenation.
With the momentum gained, the Adiabo-Ikoneto road project is poised to rewrite the narrative of neglect and usher in a new era of enhanced mobility, economic stimulation, and regional integration for Cross River State.
