Controversy is trailing project commissioning in Cross River State.

A road project in Nyaghasang Community Road, which was earlier billed for commissioning but was eventually postponed, is said to be at the centre of the dispute.

Minister of Regional Development, Hon. Abubakar Momoh, yesterday, commissioned several NDDC projects in the state, including a newly acquired office complex now serving as the NDDC Secretariat in the state, agricultural equipment, and a road project on Idang Street.

The state governor, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, was represented at the event by the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Hon. Ankpo Pius Edet.

Supporters of the Chairman, Senate Committee on NDDC, and senator representing Cross River South, Asuquo Ekpenyong, who graced the occasion were of firm belief that the NDDC executed the Nyaghasang Community Road project.

But the state government has dismissed the notion. Speaking on the matter, Hon. Pius Ankpo stated: “The Nyaghasang road was initiated and funded by the Cross River State Government. We have completed the drainage, concrete works, and channelization of the area, with construction still ongoing.”

He explained that the NDDC was never formally involved in the planning or execution of the project, and emphasized the importance of coordination when implementing infrastructure projects within the state. According to Edet, the NDDC has been advised that, going forward, it must engage the State Government, review the Bill of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation (BEME), and adhere to state construction standards before undertaking any project.

The Cross River State Government reiterated its openness to development partnerships but emphasized that all interventions must be transparent and coordinated for the greater good of the people.

“We are not in conflict with the NDDC or any federal agency,” clarified Hon. Ankpo Edet. “However, for the sake of public trust and historical accuracy, it is important to state unequivocally that the NDDC projects were commissioned peacefully, and without any form of disruption.”

Speaking on the government’s position, the Secretary-General of the Nyaghasang Qua Clan Council, Mr. Iso Bassey Edim, recalled that Governor Otu had personally pledged to address the road infrastructure in the community during a health center commissioning in July 2024. “True to his word, work began on the roads just three weeks later, led by the State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure,” he said.

Edim noted that while work was ongoing, the NDDC appeared to have intervened by asphalting certain sections of the road, only to later return and announce a commissioning. “We advise the NDDC, as an interventionist agency, to align and synergize with the state government to avoid duplication and confusion,” he cautioned.

In his remarks, the Mayor of Calabar Municipality, Apostle James Anam, confirmed that the project contract had already been awarded by the state and was actively in progress before the NDDC’s involvement. “What we need now is constructive collaboration between the NDDC and the state government. Projects should not be initiated or claimed without proper consultation,” he stressed.

However, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Nsa Gill, clarified that, “At no point was the event disrupted, either by the Governor or any other state official. Governor Otu, a loyal member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), remains committed to supporting federal initiatives aimed at improving infrastructure and livelihoods across the state.”

Otu via his spokesman, Nsa Gill, further clarified that, “Cross River, it is worth noting, was the first APC-governed state in the South-South region and continues to benefit significantly from federal government projects. These include the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Special Agro-Processing Zones, and the Federal Housing Scheme, among others. The state government reiterated that no level of “sponsored blackmail” by fifth columnists would succeed in straining the existing cordial relationship between Cross River and the Federal Government, which share a common progressive ideology.”

Meanwhile, in his goodwill message during the projects’ commissioning, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on NDDC, Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong, thanked President Tinubu for his steadfast commitment to the progress of the Niger Delta through the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He stated that, given the achievements recorded by the current Board and management of the NDDC, the National Assembly was prepared to offer any further support in the areas of legislation and oversight.”

“Our collective goal is to see the NDDC fulfill its mandate and drive sustainable development across the Niger Delta region.” (The Nation)