Gov. Bassey Otu of Cross River has promised to complete the abandoned 39 kilometers Ukelle Road in Yala Local Government Area, which connects the State to Benue.
Otu stated this on Saturday during an assessment visit to the road project abandoned about two decades ago.
The governor, in a meeting with the Clan Head of Wanokom, Chief Denis Ugede and other chiefs in his palace, promised to complete the road project to boost economic activities and ease vehicular movement.
“Today I decided to drive through all the wards in Ukelle, particularly this Northern flank that borders Benue State to appraise the state of the roads here with the view of bringing back the economic life of this area.
“This particular road has been a problem to my people, so, I decided to come personally for an on-the-spot assessment of its current state to enable us commence construction work as soon as the dry season sets in.
“My aim is to create access road here to revive the ever bubbling socio-economic activities in these border communities to better the lot of our people.
“Already, there is some work going on here and we will find out the level they have attained for possible collaboration with relevant Federal Government agencies handling the work so as to ensure speedy completion,” he said
The governor said that successive administrations had inspected the road without fulfilling their promises.
He, however, promised that his own visit would be the final inspection by the state government before the road’s completion.
He assured the people of Ukelle that he would do all within his power to raise the standard of living.
Chief Ugede, who was full of praises for the governor, said the people of Ukelle could now sleep after such a heartwarming assurance from the government.
He decried the record food wastage farmers in the area have suffered over the years, adding that God was using the governor to liberate the people of Ukelle from prolonged suffering.
“We are happy that after several years of being exposed to untold hardship due to lack of access road to transport our farm produce, God is using you to liberate the Ukelle nation,” he said.
He also reminded the governor of the need to review upward the monthly stipends of traditional rulers as promised during his campaign.
Ugede said that increasing the stipends would boost their morale and support their activities in the communities.
