By Ehigimetor Igbaugba
At about 7 a.m., a passenger leaving Calabar for Itu would ordinarily expect to arrive before 9 a.m.
For years, however, that simple journey became an endurance test.
The Calabar-Itu Federal Highway, linking Cross River and Akwa Ibom, was notorious for potholes, failed sections, flooded portions and broken-down vehicles.
Consequently, a journey of less than one-and-a-half hours could stretch to six hours or more.
For regular commuters, however, the uncertainty was perhaps the most frustrating part.
“You could leave Calabar at 7 a.m., thinking you would arrive before 9 a.m., but sometimes you would still be on the road at noon.
“There were places where everybody had to slow down. If a trailer or bus broke down, the whole road could be blocked,” recalled Umoh John, a commuter who regularly travelled the route.
For more than 15 years, the condition of the road affected virtually everyone who depended on it; commercial drivers, private motorists, traders, farmers, passengers and businesses.
But after years of frustration, the narrative is gradually changing.
Following the ongoing Federal Government rehabilitation of the highway, several sections have witnessed substantial improvement, bringing relief to motorists and raising hopes that the long-running nightmare may finally be coming to an end.
For commercial drivers, the Calabar-Itu road was more than an inconvenience. Rather, it was a daily threat to their vehicles and livelihoods.
A motorist, Pacal Bajie, who has plied the route for several years, said driving on the highway required constant concentration.
“You were not just driving; you were looking for potholes from one kilometre to another.
“If you tried to avoid one pothole, you could enter another. At night, it was worse because you could not see some of them clearly,” he said.
According to him, the poor road condition greatly increased vehicle maintenance costs.
“Suspension, tyres, steering components; all these things suffered. Sometimes, you repaired your vehicle, and before you could recover the money, another problem would come”.
Beyond the immediate cost of repairs, he said, the burden eventually affected passengers.
“When the vehicle is constantly going to the mechanic, the driver has to spend more. That is why a bad road eventually affects everybody”.
The deplorable condition of the highway also forced some travellers to seek alternative routes.
For instance, some preferred travelling to Uyo through Oron, using boats or ferries for portions of their journeys.
However, avoiding the Federal Highway often meant spending more money and more time.
A regular passenger said the situation was specifically difficult for people travelling for business, medical appointments, examinations and other time-sensitive engagements.
“There were times you had an appointment in Uyo, and you could not be sure you would arrive on time.
“You had to leave hours earlier than necessary because you were planning for the road, not for the actual distance,” Abigail Adah said.
Thankfully, she said, the rehabilitation had already brought some relief.
“Now, when you travel through some of these sections, you can feel the difference. You are not constantly bracing yourself for the next pothole,” she said.
For traders, time is money, and the poor condition of the highway frequently ate into both.
In particular, delays were damaging to those transporting perishable goods between Cross River and Akwa Ibom.
According to Nyok Ifiok, “if you are carrying vegetables, tomatoes, fruits, or other farm produce, every extra hour matters.
“When the road was bad and you spent five or six hours on the journey, some of the goods could become damaged before reaching the market.
“Sometimes, you had no choice but to sell them cheaply because keeping them longer meant losing everything,” she said.
Against this backdrop, she expressed optimism that improved road connectivity would benefit farmers and traders.
“If the road becomes good, it will encourage people to bring more goods to the market. Farmers will also have more confidence because they know their produce can move quickly,” she said.
The Calabar-Itu road is, therefore, more than a link between two neighbouring states.
It is an important economic corridor facilitating the movement of people, agricultural produce, manufactured goods and services between Cross River and Akwa Ibom.
Mr Archibong Eyo, a businessman who frequently travels between Calabar and Uyo, said poor road conditions had affected commercial activities.
“When transportation becomes difficult, business becomes difficult and suffers at the same time.
“People spend more on fuel, vehicles spend more time on the road and deliveries take longer. The cost eventually gets to the final consumer,” he said.
For this reason, he said the ongoing rehabilitation presented an opportunity to strengthen economic ties between the two states.
“If the entire road is completed and maintained, you will see more movement between Cross River and Akwa Ibom.
“People will travel more freely, goods will move faster, and businesses will have fewer excuses for delays,” he said.
Meanwhile, the most visible evidence of change is the road itself.
Sections that previously forced vehicles to crawl have been reconstructed, while construction work continues on other portions.
A private motorist who recently travelled along the route said the improvement was obvious.
According to Aniekan Abel, “I have used this road for years, so I can tell when there is an improvement.
“Before, you were almost praying before starting the journey. You knew something could happen to your vehicle.
“Now, some portions are much better. You can drive normally instead of constantly searching for where to place your tyres.”
Nevertheless, he urged the authorities to complete the work and ensure that culverts and drainage infrastructure were properly executed.
“We have seen roads repaired before only for them to deteriorate again.
“So, they should finish the job and make sure the drainage and culverts are properly done. This area receives a lot of rain. If the water is not properly controlled, the road will suffer again.”
Similarly, Sunday Michael, a commercial transport operator, said completing the reconstruction was essential.
“We have suffered for too long.
“We appreciate what is happening now, but we don’t want a situation where the road is repaired today and abandoned tomorrow.
“Let them complete all the sections. Let the water channel work be done properly and let there be regular maintenance,” he appealed.
Michael said a functional highway would directly improve the livelihood of transport operators.
“If my vehicle spends less time in the mechanic’s workshop, that means more days on the road.
“If the journey is faster, I can make more trips. That is how this road can change people’s lives.”
For communities along the corridor, however, the significance of the rehabilitation goes beyond smoother journeys.
A functional road means easier access to markets, schools, hospitals, farms and businesses.
It could also strengthen tourism and regional integration by making movement between Cross River and Akwa Ibom easier.
In effect, the poor condition of the road had consequences far beyond potholes.
It increased transportation costs, delayed the movement of goods, damaged vehicles and consumed valuable hours.
Its rehabilitation, therefore, has the potential to deliver benefits far beyond the highway itself.
Still, the real measure of success will be whether the entire project is completed to specification and maintained afterwards.
For the people who endured the worst years of the Calabar-Itu road, however, the current progress has rekindled cautious optimism.
The commuter who once spent six hours on the journey can now look forward to a significantly shorter trip.
The driver who routinely visited the mechanic because of damaged vehicle components can hope for lower maintenance costs.
The trader can expect farm produce to reach markets faster and in better condition.
Businesses, too, can plan around a more reliable transportation corridor.
After more than a decade of a badly deteriorated highway, delays, breakdowns and costly alternative routes, the Calabar-Itu highway appears to be entering a new chapter.
But road users have one overriding request; finish the work and keep the road working.
For them, the rehabilitation is not merely about asphalt.
Ultimately, it is about reclaiming hours lost on the road, reducing the cost of doing business, making journeys safer and restoring an economic link that had for too long been allowed to deteriorate.
By Ehigimetor Igbaugba writes for the News Agency of Nigeria.
