The federal government has assured that the contractors handling the dualisation of the Calabar-Itu highway will soon return to the site, which served as a link between Akwa Ibom and Cross River.

Adebisi Osim, the acting controller of works in Cross River, said this on Friday in Calabar when she hosted the Cross River South Consultative Forum, a political pressure group.

Ms Osim said the resumption of work on the highway followed the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Works.

She noted that the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, had addressed the issues that had stalled the progress of construction work on the highway.

The contractors, Julius Berger and Sematech abandoned the site last year.

She explained that in the interim, emergency palliative measures were underway to ameliorate the sufferings of road users on the route.

Ms Osim said, “I am glad to announce that Julius Berger and Sematech are returning to the site to resume works at both ends of the Calabar-Itu-Ikot Ekpene road.

“The issues that stalled further execution of the contract have been sorted out. Accordingly, once the rains subside, both contractors will return to the site to commence work simultaneously.

“This is due to the peculiar priority attention accorded to the project by our boss, the Minister of Works, bolstered by the interest of Governor Bassey Otu, who has waded in to handle the issue of compensation, which was a major factor.”

The federal government approved the variation in the cost of the Calabar-Itu road from N79.65 billion to N118.4 billion owing to the prevailing cost of materials.

Mr Umahi, who made the announcement, said the decision followed the Federal Executive Council’s approval of N42.4 billion as a variation for the project.

(NAN)