East-West Road To Be Shut Down In 14 Days, Says MOSOP
2 min read
Motorists will be unable to use the East-West Road from the next two weeks if the federal government fails to pressurize the contractors to return to the Eleme section of the road and complete work there.
That section of the road has been a nightmare for a long time now. Those using the road from Port Harcourt to the Ogoni axis or to Akwa Ibom have been going through hell due to the sorry state of the road.
This explains why the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, decided to issue an ultimatum to the federal government on the completion of the Eleme section of the road, currently being handled by the Reynolds Construction Company, RCC.
In a statement by MOSOP’s publicity secretary, Imeabe Saviour Oscar, they lamented the rate of accidents and the attendant loss of lives on that axis of the East -West Road.
“That it is worrisome that despite the huge revenue accruing from within the Ogoni ethnic nationality especially the Onne Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone which houses hundreds of companies, the Eleme Petrochemical Company, Eleme Refinery and other Federal, State and private assets, the entire stretch of the road had remained in sorry state and a nightmare to travelers. The road is now a death trap to the Ogoni people.
“Also recall that only recently, a fatal fire accident occurred on that road which destroyed over 100 vehicles and claimed many lives which resulted from the bad nature of the road and several other deaths that can’t be accounted for which occurs daily on that road.
“The government’s silence and inaction are appalling because we had expected that President Bola Tinubu at this point would have prioritized the completion of the road, but it seems that’s the opposite.
“As voices and representatives of Ogoni People, we are greatly disturbed that the Federal Government has neglected this vital road that links Rivers to other Southern states for too long and we can’t take it anymore and the time for action is now.”
On this note, “We are giving the Federal Government a 14-day grace period beginning from today, to fine tune whatever arrangements it has with RCC and return to site as Ogoni People are no longer interested in the politics going on with the company and the Federal Ministry of Works. All we need is speedy completion of that road or we shall shut it down completely and cripple economic activities in that entire zone. On the 3rd of September 2024
“We call on all Ogonis to get ready and prepare for massive protest on the 3rd of September 2024 at the Eleme section of the East -West Road at the expiration of this ultimatum. The Federal Government has taken Ogoni for granted for too long and we can’t accept that any longer. The time to save our land is now and we must act,” MOSOP said.
