NIGERIA, CALABAR – Residents across Cross River State have renewed their call for better roads and improved public infrastructure following Governor Bassey Edet Otu’s recent directive for statewide road repairs.
Many citizens welcomed the announcement but urged the state government to ensure that the restoration goes beyond temporary fixes and reaches rural communities long cut off by bad roads.
Commenting on the governor’s Facebook post, a user, Bonny Oko, wrote, “Let there be express from Igoli, Ogoja to Calabar for once. Abi they swear for Cross River State?” expressing frustration over decades of poor connectivity between northern and southern parts of the state.
Iteshi Michael, commended the decision but warned of safety threats caused by neglected urban trees in Calabar. “These overgrown trees have been falling during rainfall, causing accidents. They should be replaced with new ones,” he said.
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Others shifted the conversation toward job creation. May Rie Edet, appealed to the governor to address rising unemployment, saying, “Please help fix it by allowing companies to come to Calabar to create employment opportunities and reduce crime.”
De Anwakang and Emmalex Abu, called for inclusion of border and riverine communities like Agoi Ekpo, Agoi Ibami, and villages near Abia State in the planned road rehabilitation.
Meanwhile, Gbaji Mathew Nkombe, praised the governor’s “people-first directive,” while Alphonsus Ogar Eba, said the dry season is “the best time to fix the potholes after months of heavy rain.”
In his post, Governor Otu, assured residents that road restoration would begin immediately after the rains subside, adding, “Our people deserve safe, smooth, and reliable roads. We are building back better and faster.”
Citizens, however, insist that good governance must go beyond promises, urging authorities to ensure long-term maintenance, fair distribution of projects, and transparency in infrastructure delivery across Cross River State.