BY: VITALIS UGOH, Calabar
As part of his campaign promises, the senator representing Cross River Central, Senator Sandy Onor, has flagged-off the rehabilitation of the roads between communities of Kakwagom,Bawop and Oku in Boki local government and Ndok in Ogoja local government areas.
Performing the ceremony at Ndok in Ogoja in the Northern Senatorial District, Senator Onor said that the gesture was to meet the needs of the people in the area of socio-economic development.
The senator who was represented by the director general of his campaign organization known as “Caterpillar Movement”, Chief, Joe Obi Bisong, regretted that the road which was the major highway traversing parts Ogoja and Boki local government areas in the 70s had been abandoned subjecting about 15 communities along the road to low productivities due to its deplorable state.
Construction work on-going
Therefore, he stated that though he represents the central senatorial district his magnanimity is not limited to his jurisdiction, hence the construction in Ogoja which is in the northern senatorial district.
Onor explained further that since the law does not allow him to award contracts outside his jurisdiction, he decided to limit the project to grading and lateritng.
According to him “over 70% of the roads are within Ogoja pointing out that the symbiotic relationship that had existed between the people of Boki and Ogoja would be strengthened by the development”.
He called on the benefiting communities to cooperate with the contractor in the area of security to ensure the completion of the project on record time.
In a remark after a traditional rite, the Clan Head of Ndok, Ntol Clement Ashaba, said that he was highly elated at the generosity of the Senator to open up the 10.2 kilometer road which had been abandoned for over 40 years.
The ugly situation he lamented had caused economic and social retrogression to the people of the affected communities pointing out that “the new development is a dream come true”.
Ntol Ashaba said “my subjects are overwhelmed over the development and would do everything possible to protect and support the project”.
Earlier, the chairman of the Ndok town Council, chief Pius Unawu, commended Senator Onor for his generosity describing the feat as “unprecedented”.
D/G and others inspecting the quality of work
He affirmed that the people of Ndok were ready to sacrifice anything to ensure the completion of the project and prayed God to grant the him the zeal to continue to touch the lives of the people irrespective of geographical or political inclinations.
In his remarks, the Councillor for Kakwagom/Bawop ward in Boki, Hon. Edward Bisong, said that the people of his ward were in tandem with the project and were enthusiastic because of the social and economic benefits that would accrue from it.
