In December 2007, the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke, established the Rural Development Agency via Law No. 17 of the State.The vision and mandate of the agency was to accelerate the development of rural areas through provision of quality infrastructures capable of positioning Cross River state as the leading state in rural development.The decision of the governor to develop the rural areas was born out of the fact that over 70% of the state population resides in the rural areas of the State and there were remarkably short falls in infrastructures due to neglect by the previous administrations.The Director-General of the Rural Development Agency said, Hon. Eko Atu speaking on the new vision of Cross River government said, 'In spite of this large rural population, efforts at rural development over the years have largely been haphazard and without significant results. Both the State and local governments pursued their rural development agenda in different ways and with varying standards. In the end, very little is actually achieved towards the improvement of the lot of the rural populace.Against this background, the current state administration indicated at inception its firm desire to transform the rural landscape of the state through the provision of standard infrastructures in the areas of roads, water supply and sanitation, education and health care. The provision of relevant rural infrastructures is to serve both as a catalyst for improved standard and quality of rural lives as well as a boost in economic activities in the rural areas.Atu speaking further stated that a key mandate of the Agency as enshrined in its enabling legislation is the provision of rural access roads across the length and breadth of the state. In keeping with this mandate, the agency in January, 2008, after a thorough assessment exercise, commenced the construction of 30 (thirty) rural roads (six metres wide carriage-way with one metre shoulder on both sides, complete with asphalt surfaces) covering a total distance of about 493.7 km across sixteen Local Government areas of the state at a total cost of about N28 billion Naira - inclusive of twenty bridges with a total span of 766 metres.After 3 years, of establishing RUDA, it could be said that the vision of the government of Cross River State is fait accompli as many of those rural roads have been completed or are near completion in the 16 local government areas of the State.The 16 LGAs and the constructed roads are: ABI, Anong-Ediba-Usumutong-Ebom-Igonigoni Road, 19.4 km, 45% completion and Itigidi-Adadama, spur to Etigeve-Isong Inyang Rd. 10.6km, 100% completion, AKAMKPA: Awi-Mbarakom-Njagachang-Okoyong Road, 16km, 100% completion, AKPABUYO: Ikot Oyom Mkt ' Esuk Mba Road, 19.8km, 100% completion, BAKASSI: Ekpri Ikang ' Esighi Idua Inwang Road, 10.6km, 80%, completion and Ifiang Nsung ' Ifiang Ayong Road, 10.2km, 88% completion, BEKWARRA: Ugboro-Ukpah-Afrike Okpeche road, 8.25km, 100%, completion, BIASE: Abini 'Agwagune Road, 6.5km, 50% completion and Ehom ' Ekpri Iko Road, 6.0km, 100% completion. BOKI: Wula ' Bukalum ' Bamba Road, 14km, 80% completion, Okundi ' Kakwagom ' Oku Arop Road, 13km, 70% completion and Idum-Mbube-Katchuan Irruan Road, 9.3km, 100% completion, ETUNG: Bendeghe Ekiem ' Abia ' Agbokim Rd, 22.0km, 75% completion and Agbokim Karaboot ' Ekugatai Road, 7.0km, 80% completion.Others are IKOM: Ikm Calabar H/W -Yala Nkum Road, 15km, 45% completion and Ikm Cal H/W -Balep-Opu-B.Afi-Akparabong, 22km, 65% completion, OBANLIKU: Sankwala - Busi 6 (Begore) Road, 10km, 60% completion and Utuhu ' Bishiri South Road, 10km, 70% completion, OBUBRA: Ikom Calabar H/W ' Iyamoyong ' Iyamitet Road, 14.2km, 100% completion, Ofat ' Ababene ' Oderegha ' Ikom Cal H/W, 5.1km, 45% completion and Apiapumtet-Ijitum-Ida-Ogurude road, 45.78km, just commenced. OBUDU: Betukwel ' Ohong ' Bedia 'Ibung - Okorshie Road, 9.5km, 100% completion and Utugwang ' Mbube Road, 27km 55% completion, OGOJA: Ikot Okpora ' Ukwa Road, 23km, 56% completion, Odukpani LGA, Ogboja ' Okende ' Ibil ' Bansara Road, 36.6km, 48% completion and Ndok Junction'Odajie-Idum with(obosso spur), 24.9km, 100% completion, YAKURRI: Assiga New/Old Town-Ekpeti 'Inyima-Ikom Cal H/W, 9.1km, 100% completion and Ugep - Idomi ' Adim Road, 12.3km, 95% completion and YALA: Ipollo ' Ogba ' Ijibollo ' Apiapumtet Road, 23km, 100% completion and Okuku ' Echumoga ' Alifokpa Road, 23.57km, 55% completion.Having achieved success in the first phase of the contract awards, in 2011 the State Government under the RAMP project further awarded contracts for additional 474km at a cost of 20.4billion nairaThe agency has achieved 80% completion with some of the roads already commissioned. It is expected that all the roads under RUDA will be completed in the first quarter of 2012On the importance of the roads to MDGs in 2015 in Cross River State, the (RUDA) DG said, 'Albeit, roads development is not categorically indicated as one of the target areas of intervention under the MDG's, the agency is mindful of the catalytic importance of access (roads) to the attainment of goal 1 of the MDG (Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger). 'Therefore, as we gradually approach the MDG's target year of 2015, the agency projects to help in the actualization of the goals of the MDG through the following: Construction of another 506 km of asphalt roads bringing to a total of 1000km across the State; achieving a minimum 62 km of asphalt roads in 16 out of the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.'To achieve this also he said the criteria for selection of roads for construction is predicated on provision of access to: Rural educational facilities (schools and vocational centres); Rural health facilities (hospitals, PHC's, health centres and health posts), rural markets, predominantly farming communities, Tourism sites and Planting of trees on both sides of the roads to ensure environmental sustainability.On how the contracts were funded and the subsequent ones would be funded, Hon. Atu said, 'The law establishing the Agency provided for a funding partnership between the State and Local Governments. 2.5% of local government statutory allocation represents the LGAS contribution to the funding of the rural roads development sector. The balance of the funding is borne by the State Government and current funding is done in line with the State Government annual budget releases/disbursement under its capital estimates/budget.But for the new phase of the 506.3km of rural roads, to bring the total to 1000km an additional investment of N28.8 billion Naira is required and given the lean financial position of the state government, there is need to attract funding support to the state in order to bridge the obvious funding gaps that will arise.He said an additional funding may be sourced through the amendment of the RUDA law to increase the LGA contribution from 2.5% to 5.0%, donor funding and private sector participation as part of corporate social responsibility.
Click here to read full news..
