From Tony John, Port Harcourt
For some days ago, thousands of youths shut down the Eleme axis of the East-West Road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for the death trap, which the road has become to Ogoni and others plying the road. The protest, which started on Monday, July 26, was the culmination of many weeks of ultimatum given to the Federal Government, by Ogoni youths, to fix the road.
There are Federal Government establishments whose workers also access the road daily. The establishments include but not limited to Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Freight Ocean Terminal (FOT) and Freight Lighter Terminal (FLT), Oil Gas Free Trade Zone, Port Harcourt Refinery, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Indoroma Petrochemical Company.
Recently, a portion of the only bridge on the road, Aleto Eleme, caved in. Before the incident, the youths had called on government to rehabilitate the road, which they alleged, claimed several lives. Following the condition of the bridge, the Ogoni youths intensified their call and warned that at the expiration of the ultimatum, they would stage a “mother of all protests,” on the road. True to their threat, they grounded all businesses activities, in the area, as the two lanes of the road were blocked.
Anger and anguish pervaded the area. To worsen the situation, it was alleged that on Monday, tyres of some lorries and trailers were deflated by the protesting youths.
They called on the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to deploy contractors to the road, vowing that they would not vacate the place until urgent and visible work was done. An Ogoni leader, Mr Celestine Akpobari, said:
“All what we need is that the road should be done. People should not suffer because there is disagreement with contractors. We are still waiting for the contractor to resume work.”
An Ogoni youth leader, Joseph Tsaro-eremeh, noted: “From Eleme junction to after Onne junction, the roads are not motorable at all. The condition of this road is not anything somebody will sit down somewhere and say why are these guys blocking the road at this point in time. Enough is enough.
“To crown it all, people believe that to sweep everything under the carpet that justice has not been done. The Eleme axis of the East-West Road survives the people of Akwa-Ibom State. It also survives Eleme, Tai, Gokana, Khana, Opobo/Nkoro and Andoni local government areas in Rivers State.
“This road, each day in business terms, generates billions of naira to the Federal Government and generates internal revenue to the state government also in millions of naira. I am very surprised why government allows the masses to be reminding them what is very necessary for them to do.”
Evans Duudee, said: “Yes! Enough is enough of this nonsense, road that is controlling 60 per cent of the country’s economy in this dangerous condition. No way, and I said no way.”
Similarly, Bere Letam Noble expressed: “Together, we shall overcome our common enemy. Enough of the marginalization.”
Evang. Neenaalebari Fyneface declared: “Yes, in deed, we are not leaving here. Enough is enough.”
Mr Livingstone Wechie, said: “The steps undertaken by Ogoni and others in solidarity to shut down the East-West Road has far reaching implications. If the Nigerian state means well, they should not let another day pass before mobilizing to site. All of Niger Delta should occupy the region and call for economic and infrastructure justice.”