Cross River To Commission Ikom Stadium In November
SAN FRANCISCO, February 13, (THEWILL) - The Cross River State Government says the ultra-modern stadium being constructed in Ikom will be completed and commissioned before the end of the year.
Commissioner for Special Projects, Eng. Bassey Ika Oqua disclosed this to the National Good Governance Team led by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information, Mrs Kehinde Ajoni during a tour of projects in the state.
Oqua disclosed that the Ikom stadium and another being constructed in Ogoja are both valued at N2.2 billion.
The commissioner explained that the construction of the two stadia is aimed at enhancing the state’s comprehensive sports development programme.
The six thousand capacity stadium in Ikom will have two tennis courts, two basket ball courts and an Olympic sized swimming pool.
According to him, the concept falls in line with the state’s “catch them young” programme and is focused on schools and rural areas because the state does not poach athletes for sports competitions.
He further explained that though the construction of the stadium is handled by a Chinese company, there is local content in its technical team
The stadia at Ikom and Ogoja, according to him, will serve the central and northern senatorial districts respectively.
Other projects inspected by the team included the Bamenda – Enugu Multi Nations Highway Transportation Programme funded by ADB, World Bank, JICA at Abakiliki/Mbok Junction.
Director Federal Highway, Eng. Chikwumike Uzor, disclosed that the road stretches from Enugu –Abakaliki – Mbok to Ikom and terminates in Cameroon and is constructed to serve for 15 years. According to him, from Enugu to Abakiliki is valued at N13 Billion, Mbok to Ikom 15 kilometre is valued at N6.93 billion while Ikom to Mfum is 23 kilometre, adding that the highway will be fitted with weigh-bridge to check traffic abuses and underground filter system in swampy areas.
The 16.2 kilmetre Ikom/Calabar Highway/Iyamyong-Nyamitet one of the 33 roads constructed by State Rural Roads Agency (RUDA) was inspected by the team while at Obudu, it inspected roads constructed under the state’s Urban Renewal Programme expected to extend development to rural areas as a way of curbing rural/urban drift.
According to Robert Etung, Deputy Director Works about 800 kilometre of roads in Calabar, Ugep, Ogoja, Ikom and Obudu would have been asphalted by the time the tenure of the present administration comes to an end in 2015 under the programme.