The Cross River Government says the Obodu Cargo Airport project, initiated by the immediate past administration, has attained 90 per cent completion, the Commissioner for Works, Dr Erasmus Ekpang, has said.
Ekpang disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Thursday.
He said that the project was inherited at 50 per cent level of work by the present administration.
He said that work had not stopped on the project since the present administration came onboard, contrary to insinuations in some uninformed quarters.
The commissioner further explained that Gov. Bassey Otu’s administration “had made a commitment to complete all projects inherited from his predecessors”.
According to him, inherited projects that have direct impact on the people are being given priority attention by the Otu-led administration.
Ekpang said that the completion of the airport remained one of Otu’s top priority projects because of its multiplier effect on the state’s economy, particularly the tourism sector.
He said: In all sincerity, except for the recent break in construction work due to ‘awaiting approval’ for contract variation, work has never stopped on the project.
“As we speak, the terminal and other work had been completed.
“Gov. Otu has also taken the construction of the runaway to 3.5km from the proposed 5.6km.
“We are awaiting the governor’s approval for variation in the contract sum for work to go on.
“The variation was only submitted sometime last month.
“Of course, you will agree with me that the price of cement has more than doubled since we took over office.
“I can’t give you any projection of when this project will be completed but I can tell you that we have achieved 90 per cent of the construction work,” the commissioner said.
It would be recalled that former Gov. Ben Ayade commissioned the airport for construction in 2021.
The airport aims to connect the Obudu Mountain Resort with the objective to enhance tourism, agriculture and commerce in the region.
