The Akwa Ibom state government has disagreed with Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Enang over monies so far refunded to it on federal roads.
Ita Enang had during a radio interview in Uyo, the state capital last weekend claimed that the FG has refunded N78 billion to the state government as part of the money it spent on the rehabilitation of federal roads in the state.
But the state government through the commissioner for works, Ephraim Inyang-eyen said Buhari’s aide ‘lied’ about the figure, insisting the FG only refunded N20billion.
Inyangeyen who made the disclosure on Wednesday while expressing worry over a new gully erosion that is threatening the dualized Calabar-Itu road.
He evealed that, the Federal Government has so far, refunded only 20 billion of the 78 billion approved by the National Assembly being monies spent by the State Government to rehabilitate federal roads.
The commissioner charged FG appointees from the state to draw the attention of President Buhari to the total breakdown of the Calabar-Itu highway and general deplorable state of all Federal Roads in the state.
He decried the deplorable condition of federal roads in the state despite the fact that Akwa Ibom contributes the largest chunk to the oil revenue that sustains the nation.
Inyangeyen directed immediate shut down of the Calabar-Itu Highway from the Uyo village road intersection by the Akwa ibom State Broadcasting Corporation transmission station to the U-turn by the abbatoir to enable remedial work and forestall loss of lives, sued for understanding from road users.
He again appealed to the Federal Government to urgently come to the rescue of the State by reconstruction of the Federal roads and intervention to arrest the severe ecological problems in various Parts of the State.