Residents of the Navy Road in Ibaka, Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, have expressed their frustration over an abandoned 1.8km road project that was awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in 2013. The road was designed to link the jetty to the Ibaka-Oron road but has been left unfinished, causing hardship to the residents in the area.
The contract for this road project was awarded to Messrs Foul Plant Nigeria Limited by the NDDC but was allegedly abandoned after overlaying bituminous asphalt. The slow pace of work between 2013 and 2018 led to the project’s abandonment, leaving the community and the Navy base with limited access.
Community leaders and residents have called on the state government and the NDDC to intervene and complete the road project, which is considered economically significant to the region. They have also urged the government to hold contractors accountable for abandoned projects through legislation, describing the act as economic sabotage.
Efforts to reach the state governor and the NDDC regarding the abandoned project have so far been unsuccessful.
The plight of residents affected by incomplete infrastructure projects is a common issue in many parts of Nigeria and often hinders the economic and social development of the areas involved.