Business owners and commuters suffer as Calabar-Itu Road stays closed

Residents and business owners along Calabar-Itu Road in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, are feeling the impact of the road being closed for over five months.

Back in May 2024, Professor Eno Ibanga, the Commissioner for Works and Fire Service, announced the temporary closure of the highway at the Park Road intersection to allow for construction of a 0.97 km underground drainage system at Tabernacle Road. This drainage was supposed to help manage water flow from Ikot Ekpene Road and was expected to be completed within a month. Unfortunately, the closure has now lasted much longer than anticipated.

Residents are frustrated as flooding has worsened every time it rains, and the alternative routes have become difficult to navigate. Many wonder why the government didn’t improve these alternate roads before closing the main highway.

Business owners, including bar and supermarket operators, report that what used to be a busy area is now quiet. Golden, a supermarket owner, shared how his sales have dropped dramatically because motorists, his main customers, are using different routes. He said, “My business has almost folded up since this road was closed. I’ve lost most of my serious customers.” He even had to auction goods that expired due to lack of sales.

A beer parlour owner expressed similar concerns. “Since you came here, have you seen any other person come in?” he asked, highlighting how few customers he’s had. “I’m getting tired of the whole thing because getting a new shop is not even easy,” he lamented.

Residents near the closed road are also facing serious flooding issues. Gideon, a local resident, described how floodwaters have entered homes and poultry farms, causing significant damage. He said, “Forget about what the government is saying on the radio. Some people have relocated to stay with friends and family temporarily.”

With heavy vehicles using alternative routes like Ikpa Road and Uyo Village Road, those roads have become almost impassable. Frustrated residents are questioning the slow progress of the project and whether the contractor is capable of handling such work. One resident, Ubong, voiced their concerns: “The people handling the project are unnecessarily slow. Why don’t the government give it to more serious firms?”

In response, Commissioner Eno Ibanga held a press conference, asking the public for patience. He assured them that the project would be completed by December, citing deep excavation work and heavy rainfall as reasons for the delay. He mentioned that the government has invested N4.54 billion into the project and is hopeful the road will reopen soon.

However, two weeks after this promise, not much progress seems to have been made at the construction site.