Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The workers and host communities of the ongoing Second Niger Bridge project in Anambra and Delta states have shut down the Julius Berger yard office at bridgehead, Onitsha, the Anambra state capital.
The protesters said they were marching against noncompliance to agreements with the host communities in regards to compensation, employment of ad hoc staff, skilled and unskilled staff as well as supplies.
The leader of the protesters and the host communities Liaison Officer (CLO), Mr Peter Okafor, demanded the sack of the Project Director of construction firm Julius Berger, Mr Friedrich Josef Wiser, over his alleged highhandedness and neglecting the plight of the host communities.
He said that the host communities never demanded N10 billion compensation as alleged by Minister of Works Raji Fashola, stressing that the Federal Government had not paid compensation to the affected communities.
The protesters from 10 host communities marched around the River Niger bridgehead and blocked the Julius Berger yard gate.