Senate summons Works minister, Julius Berger, CCECC over Odukpani – Calabar highway

…as Akpabio pleads for road completion for humanity sake

By Tunde Opalana

The Senate in Wednesday summoned the minister for Works, David Umahi and two construction forms, Messers Julius Berger and CCECC to appear before its committee on Works in the next one week.

The one week ultimatum was pronounced at the investigative hearing on the Odukpani – Calabar highway construction which has dragged on for long. The Senate Committee on Works conducted the hearing which had in attendance the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

Expected at yesterday’s sitting were the Works minister, the Director of Federal Highways in the ministry, the three contractors handling the project, Julius Berger, CCECC and Zeka Global Company.

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But the minister, Julius Berger and CCECC were absent, hence the resolve by the committee to summon them.

Senator Barinada Mpigi, committee chairman said that “relevance section of the Senate Rules will be invoked to summon the invitees and that failure to honour invitation will attract warrant of arrest”.

Contract for the highway construction was first signed by military administration in 1975 while it remains uncompleted almost 50 years after.

The committee chairman said it was not concerned about personalities from the affected communities but more concerned about all roads and every section of the Nigerian roads.

Senate President, Akpabio lamented that several lives have been lost due to the deplorable condition of the road adding that commuters spend useful hours in traffic while playing the road.

The highway is a major artery road linking the South South and South East, linking Calabar to Uyo and other parts of Akwa Ibom, Aba and Port – Harcourt.

Akpabio demanded the committee to do a comprehensive oversight of the project to ascertain claims by the contracting firms.

Calling for a speedy completion of the road, the Senate President said “let us do it for the sake of Nigeria, let us do it for the sake of humanity”.