Boat passengers traveling from Calabar in Cross River State to Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, are grappling with a myriad of challenges as transport costs surge, fueled by the deteriorating state of the Calabar-Uyo federal highway. This critical road link has been in disrepair for several years, prompting a significant increase in passenger traffic opting for water routes.<\/p>\n
The lamentations from boat passengers highlight the far-reaching consequences of the neglected highway. Two passengers, Priscilla Akpan and Fidelis Umoh, both low-income earners, shared their experiences, revealing that fares have doubled in the face of increased demand for boat services. A trip from Calabar to Oron in Akwa Ibom State, for instance, has seen costs rise from \u20a63,000 to \u20a66,000.<\/p>\n
The surge in boat services, driven by the appalling condition of the Calabar-Uyo federal highway, has also brought about a rise in criminal activities along sea routes. The areas around the Calabar\/Marina beach, Oron beach, and Creek Town and Adiabo beaches have witnessed an uptick in crime, posing safety concerns for passengers.<\/p>\n
Passengers report that ferrying to destinations such as Creek Town or Adiabo beaches now comes at a higher cost, ranging from \u20a63,000 to \u20a64,000, compared to the initial \u20a61,000 to \u20a62,000 charges. Additionally, cargo ferries are imposing extra fees for loads, adding to the financial strain on travelers.<\/p>\n
In response to the mounting challenges, the State Government is reportedly considering addressing the Adiabo Bridge, which has been neglected for many years. Governor Bassey Otu is said to be in discussions with relevant authorities and contractors to fix the bridge, with the aim of diverting heavy traffic from the Tinapa\/Adiabo axis and easing the strain on the Calabar-Uyo highway.<\/p>\n
The dire state of the Calabar-Uyo federal highway has not only resulted in financial burdens for commuters but has also led to unquantifiable losses for motorists and passengers, who endure extended travel times and increased safety risks daily. Criminal activities on the deplorable Odukpani axis of the highway have added another layer of concern, further emphasizing the urgent need for infrastructure improvements and enhanced security measures.<\/p>\n
As passengers and commuters continue to face these challenges, the hope is that prompt action will be taken to address the deteriorating infrastructure, ensuring the safety and well-being of those reliant on these crucial transportation routes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Boat passengers traveling from Calabar in Cross River State to Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, are grappling with a myriad of challenges as transport costs surge, fueled by the deteriorating state of the Calabar-Uyo federal highway. This critical road link has been in disrepair for several years, prompting a significant increase in passenger […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":6939,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[172],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6935","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6935"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6935\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6942,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6935\/revisions\/6942"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6939"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6935"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6935"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6935"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}