East-West, PH-Aba Roads: RVHA Petitions NASS

The Rivers State House of Assembly, yesterday unanimously passed a motion to petition the National Assembly over the deplorable state of federal roads in the state, especially the East-West Road and Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway.
The lawmakers were of the view that these two major roads and the only link with other states were in decrepit situation to stagnate economic activities and unleash untold hardship on the people of the state.
Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi- OwajiIbani said it amounted to neglect and deliberate act of abandonment on the part of the Federal Government considering the status of Rivers State as a major economic contributor to the country’s revenue.
He said that the state has continuously suffered near break down of infrastructure.
Though the motion was initiated by the Majority Leader, Hon. Martins Amaewhule, other members, including those from the opposition joined in support, arguing that an immediate action be taken by presenting the matter before the National Assembly.
In his words, Amaewhule said, “people going to Andoni, Opobo and Ogoni can no longer go to their communities … It’s a pitiable situation, and it’s the same at Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway. You cannot believe we are part of Nigeria”.
For the member representing Obio/Akpor Constituency 11, Hon. Michael Okechukwu Chinda, the Federal Government has displayed non-challance to the needs and challenges of Rivers people considering the poor state of the two roads.
Chinda noted, “The usual action of flying in Federal Government officials on visits to the state should be discouraged. Let them inculcate the habit of travelling by road, so that they can feel the pains of our people. This issue has become a recurring decimal, and the Federal Government needs to sit up as far as the East-West Road is concerned”.
Members of the opposition, who supported the motion include Hon. Innocent Barikor representing Gokana State Constituency, Victoria Nyeche representing Port Harcourt Constituency 1, and Josiah John Olu of Eleme Constituency.
Barikor pointed out that the deplorable state of the East-West Road had inflicted pains on the people which are both “tangible and intangible”, but pleaded that the state government should not abandon the plight of the citizens by ensuring that remedial works are sustained on the route.
Consequently, the state House of Assembly  called on the Federal Government to refund monies spent by the Rivers State Government on repairing and maintaining of federal roads.
Member representing Eleme State Constituency, Hon. Josiah John Olu, who raised the matter on the floor of the House, as part of a motion seeking for repairs of the East-West Road, said so far, the state has expended N106billion since 2013.
The motion was upheld by the House as the Speaker concluded that, “Monies spent by the state government on federal roads should be re-imbursed.
Ibani stressed that, “the RSHA will seek justice, and we will continue to engage the Federal Government, and ensure that all relevant agencies live up to their responsibilities”.
The speaker observed that the poor state of federal roads in the state has become a nagging issue, insisting that, “If the Federal Government has done its responsibility, negligence wouldn’t have arisen. The word negligence is moderate to say the least of what our people have suffered over the years”.