Road users groan over gridlock on Calabar-Odukpani Road

Calabar-Odukpani Road

Holiday makers are in for hard times as the road leading to Calabar has almost cut off from the rest of the country. Road users spend several hours on the Calabar-Odukpani axis of the state.

The road, which is still under repair, serves as the only route out of Calabar to other parts of the country, experienced unprecedented gridlock because of the fuel scarcity and ongoing Calabar Carnival.

Many road users end up spending six to seven hours in the hold-up.

Those who came into town were forced to continue their journey by patronizing commercial motorcyclists to take them to town while others who could not afford it trekked for hours to town.

One of the frustrated travellers, Mrs. Bridget Uchendu, said they were on their way to Imo State to spend the holiday with her parents when they experienced the gridlock.

“I regret embarking on this journey today. My children are tired and we have spent over four hours already here,” she said.

Another family, who came to have a fun at the carnival, blamed the deplorable state of the road on the government.

He complained: “The state government could have prevented this from happening if the road was completed before now.
“We are coming from Akwa Ibom and this is my first time of bringing my family to Calabar to have fun. I am disappointed at the turn of event.”

Cross River State residents, who spoke to The Guardian feared the situation could affect the Carnival Calabar, which is slated for December 28, 2017, as tourists travelling by road could decide to stay back.