The Orashi National Con
gress (ONC) has called on the Rivers State Government to construct  overhead bridges and drainage system at Ahoada round about, Mbiama and other parts of the Orashi region.
The President-General of the group, Comrade Emeni Ibe, made this request when members of the group paid a courtesy call on the Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Mr Samuel Eyiba, in Port Harcourt  last Wednesday.
He said the overhead bridge request, became imperative so as to quickly address the traffic challenges which are gradually building up in the area.
Ibe recalled how flood ravaged the region two years ago saying that  a good drainage system would help to check future occourence.
He wondered how people that are contributing to the federation’s revenue sources would still suffer lack, saying that it was a gross injustice.
According to him, a recent statistical bulletin from the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has it that the region (Orashi) alone produces about 41,250.037 barrels, representing up to 35.46 per cent of the total oil production in the state.
He also regretted the dearth of federal projects in the area, while calling on authorized bodies to ensure a new lease in the interest of peace.
In his response, Eyiba blamed part of the challenges in the region on the federal government’s action over some oil wells in the state like those in Soku and Etche areas.
He also called on the group to raise their voices the more on the issue whether the federal government should return the seized oil wells  to the state government.
The commissioner who lamented that the “missing” oil wells are badly affecting the state’s revenue, urged   Rivers people to queue behind Governor Amaechi and pursuer the cause, saying that the governor was fighting for the interest of the state.
Earlier, he had called on the group to continue to be peaceful, saying the no meaningful development is ever seen in dispute areas.