The worsening condition of the Ikom- Obudu federal road has continued to expose residents of northern Cross River State to danger, disrupting healthcare access, economic activities, and daily movement.
The situation triggered a peaceful protest by youths from Ikom, Etung, Boki, Obanliku and Obudu Local Government Areas, who say years of neglect on the 120-kilometre corridor have led to repeated accidents and avoidable loss of lives.
For communities including Ikom, Boki, Wula, Bedi, Obanlikwu and Obudu, the Ikom- Obudu road remains a critical lifeline, now described by residents as a daily risk.
One of the protesters,Martins Assam, said the poor state of the road has placed pregnant women in danger, as delays and breakdowns often make it difficult to reach medical facilities on time.
Another protester, Armstrong Agbor, accused government authorities of neglecting the road despite what he described as huge revenue generated from trailers and heavy-duty trucks that ply the route daily.
A third protester, Ushie Ushie, said the situation worsens during the rainy season when the road becomes virtually impassable, cutting off communities for days.
Responding to the protest, Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu, through the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Pius Edet, acknowledged the severity of the road’s condition, noting that while palliative repairs were carried out in 2024, the 120-kilometre corridor remains a federal highway whose reconstruction requires joint intervention.
The protest ended peacefully, but the youths say their action has only been suspended, as communities along the corridor await concrete steps to fix a road they describe as vital to lives and livelihoods.
(Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu)
