Buhari Assures Obang Of Calabar FG’s Support To Promote Rapid Development Of The City

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured the Obang of Calabar, His Eminence, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi, of Federal Government’s commitment to promoting rapid development the ancient city.

Buhari made this know while receiving the His Eminence, the Obang of Calabar at the presidential villa on Thursday in Abuja.

The president promised that his administration would open the city of calabar to the rest of the country, adding that, his administration was working tirelessly to help the city regain her former status of becoming the first capital city of the Southern Nigeria.

Buhari said “We will open up that part of Nigeria to the rest of the country.”

Buhari noted that his administration had commenced a number of project in the region. Among the project noted were the three road projects, Calabar-Ugep-Ikom-Ogoja; Calabar-Itu-Ikot Ekpene and Sapele-Ewu which were at various stages of completion.

He also stressed that in order to speed up work on the Calabar-Ugep-Ikom-Ogoja road, plans are underway to incorporate it in the Sukuk Bond to increase the level of funding of the construction work. Adding that, the dredging of the Calabar harbour would be undertaken as soon as some legal issues are settled by the Ministry of Transportation and the Nigerian Ports Authority with the contractor.

The president also pledged the full support of his adminstration to the Calabar Deep Sea Port project of the State, adding that a number of electricity projects would soon follow after a visit to the State by the Ministers of Power in the upcoming two weeks.

The Obang of Calabar in his remarks called for the reversal of the “demotion” through the execution of projects in the areas of roads, power, maritime access, security and border issues as well as the plight of displaced persons from the Bakassi Islands.