The President of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC Worldwide, Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri Snr, has called on the Federal Government to speed up the construction and completion of the East-West road.
Lokpobiri made the call during a protest on Monday, 17th of June 2024, and expressed displeasure on the deplorable pace of work on the road.
The IYC President was also joined in the protest by the Third phase National National Chairman, of Presidential Amnesty program, Gen Elaye Slaboh
Lokpobiri said, ” When you develop a people, they naturally secure themselves”
He condemned the federal government for militarising the Niger Delta region with so much money, without considering the development of the area.
Lokpobiri appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to make the East-West road his priority and fix it immediately.
” The federal government should consider the urgency of the East-West road which is currently the only road linking the South-East, South-South and the South-West, before channeling its attention to the Niger Delta coastal road project which importance can not also be overemphasised”
” Over N400bn was approved during the last lap of the Buhari’s administration for the completion of the road, with little or no work done to show for it”
” The Federal government must begin a genuine process of completing the road, if nothing is done before the rains and perennial flood begins, we would be left with no option than to completely shutdown vehicular movements on the road”
He said there is no way the federal government will be so much interested in the oil and gas of the Niger Delta, without considering the development of the area, adding that they are beginning to run out of patience on the issues of that road.
Other road users, who narrated their ordeals while plying the East-West road, said apart from the numerous accidents that have been recorded on that road due to some terribly bad spots and culverts construction spots that were dug and abandoned by the company handling the job, they are most times trapped in the traffic for several hours.
In fact , the East – West road has become a nightmare to motorists and passengers.
He said all hands must be the deck for the National and State Assembly members from the South – South to sponsor an urgent bill for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the East – West road which is currently a deathtrap and centre for kidnappers especially the Ughelli and Evwreni axis and called for the replacement of the police with the military to sniffle out the Kidnappers from that forest,near Ughelli.
