The Cross River State government has committed to compensating farmland owners whose properties fall within the path of the proposed railway project.
The government assured residents that the compensation process will be fair and transparent, aiming to address concerns over land acquisition and support those affected by the infrastructure expansion.
According to guardian.ng, the state governor, Senator Bassey Otu, made the commitment on Friday during the inaugural stakeholders conference of the Cross River State Government and Grandlitora Railway Project in Calabar.
The Cross River State Government in partnership with some private investors on 15 August 2024 commenced the construction of a 365-kilometre of railway to be completed at an estimated cost of US$350 million.
Otu disclosed that the project which was one of the fruits yielded by the Investment Summit held in August 2023, at the Calabar International Convention Centre was a Public-Private Partnership funded initiative driven by Rinehooke Investments Ltd in partnership with the state government.
READ: Africa: Carnival Calabar Showcases Calabar as Premier Tourism Destination in Nigeria and West Africa – Says Bassey Otu
The governor represented by his deputy, Peter Odey, said the conference was to present the 365 km railway project to stakeholders to make input where necessary to ensure its success.
He said the railway project which will run from Bakassi to Obudu is designed in such a way that it will pass through almost all the local government areas with stopover stations in Ugep, Ikom, and Ogoja.
The government solicited the cooperation of property owners along the railway route to allow for smooth construction and completion on time and according to specifications.
READ: Africa: Cross River State Governor Otu Inaugurates Calabar-Limbe Cameroon Ferry Service, Enhancing Regional Transportation Connectivity
He said the state is committed to addressing the transportation challenges to drive more traffic into the state.
Otu said the state, in the next two months, will take delivery of four new aircraft to boost the fleet of its airline soon to be rechristened from CallyAir to CanaanAir to cater to the transportation needs of passengers and businesses in and out of the state.
He said the airline which will have a regular flight from Calabar to Abuja and Calabar to Lagos daily will make Cross River the first state to run an inter-city airline in the country.
Presenting the project to the stakeholders, the Chief Executive Officer of Grandlitora ESV Imo Ekanem said the passenger and freight railway line which will start from Bakassi and terminate in Obudu has a timeline of three years.
He said the first six months to one year would be used for planning and land acquisition, the second year for construction of the project which will be completed in the third year.
Ekanem listed the benefits of the project including provision of skilled and unskilled labor for Cross Riverians, stimulating economic growth of the communities, tourism development, investment attraction to the host communities, and also improving the quality of life of the people.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties, Berr Ekpenyong Akiba said the project is a testament to Governor Otu’s commitment to repositioning Cross River for national and international exposure and attracting meaningful development to the state in line with his People First mantra.
He stressed the need for stakeholder engagement to ensure a positive outcome of the project and lauded the handlers of the project for providing timelines to ensure a successful completion.
