Youths of Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State protesting the bad section of the East-West Road, yesterday, suspended their protests against the Federal Government’s neglect.
The protest which lasted seven days had economic activities in the area grounded by the aggrieved youths.
The youths were demanding a Federal Government’s action on the failed portion of the road.
The suspension of the protest followed the arrival of the contractors at the site to commence repair works.
Addressing journalists at the protest ground, the Eleme Local Government Chairman, Obarilomate Ollor, who announced the suspension of the protest, warned that the youths will not hesitate to resume the protest if the Federal Government fails to live up to expectations.
“We had warned that this is supposed to be a warning protest, which has lasted for seven days, we do not intend to come back for this same issue, however, if the processes that have brought us out are not fulfilled within a reasonable time, then we have no option but to come back to this road.
“The Eleme people have suffered so much in the midst of plenty and we cannot rest and watch our people die when there is something we can still do.
“Today we have seen the equipment and the contractors have told me that they have been asked to commence work and payment is ongoing and today being August 1, 2021, I want to say that as the executive chairman of this local government local and the chief security officer, I hereby declare this protest suspended because we want to be sure that the project will be carried out to its completion.
“This is not the time for anybody to play gimmicks with the people of our local government”.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government had confirmed released the sum of N2.5billion for compensation to pave way for remedial works to be carried out on the deplorable Eleme-Onne section of the East-West Road.
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who made this known after a meeting with the management of RCC, the construction firm handling the projects, directed the firm to start work immediately.
By the directive, RCC was expected to have commenced work last Friday.
He, therefore, appealed to protesting Niger Delta youths to vacate section 3 of the East-West Road to enable contractors commence work.
According to him, “The essence of this protest is to draw the attention of the government to the road, now we are here allow us to commence work.”
Akpabio acknowledged that the youths were right to stage a protest over the delay.
The minister, who disclosed that the Federal Government has released additional N2.5billion for payment of compensation to property owners along the road corridor, regretted that the initial N4.5billion budgeted for compensation could not meet up with demands.
He disclosed that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has also budgeted another N35billion to support the project, adding that the ministry has channelled funds met for over 304 projects into the East-West Road project.
He further disclosed that the ministry has proposed an extra-budgetary intervention for inclusion of the East-West Road Sections I-IV in the 2020 SUKUK Issuance Programme of the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning and the Debt Management Office.
This, according to him, is part of the efforts made by the ministry to access adequate funding for the completion of the East-West Road project.
The minister explained that the initial contracts for dualization of the 338km road linking Warri to Oron through Kaiama, Ahoada, Port Harcourt, Ogoni and Eket Townships (Section I-IV), was initially awarded in four sections to four different contractors in 2006.
“It is well known that Section I (Warri-Kaiama covering Ch. 0+000-Ch. 87+400) and Section III (Onne Port Junction – Eket covering Ch. 15 + 000 – Ch. 99 + 000) have been duly completed by Messrs Setraco Nigeria Limited and Messrs RCC Nigeria Limited, respectively”, he added.
He maintained that the Section IIIA (Port Harcourt-Onne Road Junction), covering Ch. 0 + 000 – Ch. 15 + 000 was not part of the contract initially awarded in 2006 because it was in good condition, having been dualized earlier, noting that “over time, the Port Harcourt – Onne Port Junction portion had progressively deteriorated as a result of heavy axle loading, flooding and is no longer serviceable for the current traffic volumes.
“Therefore, the ministry had to award the contract for additional works to Messrs RCC Nigeria Limited to upgrade the Port Harcourt-Onne Port Junction”.
He further stated that due to poor annual budgetary provisions, the contract for upgrading of Section IIIA awarded in 2014 could not commence until the ministry paid the contractors the full mobilization advance in 2020.
“The condition of the road deteriorated during the period of delay, and there has been serious encroachment on the right-of-way initially delineated for the road.
“With the review of the initial contract scope of works and contract unit rates imperative, specific measures for addressing the contingent site conditions militating against the progress of work were scheduled by the ministry.
He said these include the initial design for interchange bridges at Onne Junction which is to be substituted with a flyover bridge, but due to space constraints caused by the newly constructed power sub-station which cannot be relocated due to higher cost implication.
“A new flyover bridge has also been designed to replace the interchange bridge initially designed for Refinery Junction amongst others.”
The minister further reiterated the commitment of the present administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari to complete the East-West highway dualisation project by 2022.
Reacting to the development, the people of Eleme and Ogoni communities in Rivers State decried the release of N2.5billion for compensation to reconstruct the Eleme section of the dilapidated East-West Road.
The President General, Ogoni Youths Federation, Comrade Legborsi Yamaabana, expressed mixed feelings over the release of the money for the payment of compensation to property owners along the East-West Road.
Yamaabana said, “Releasing the part payment for compensation is not only diversionary but a grand attempt by Senator Godswill Akpabio to hoodwink and deceive the protesting youths to withdraw from the road.
“The aim of the five-day-old mother of all protests remains at the forefront, which is the demand for the reconstruction of the entire stretch of the deplorable Ogoni axis of the East-West Road (Eleme junction to Onne).
“We expect the Federal Government to display good faith and mobilise contractors handing the road project to site to implement our demand and stop playing to the gallery”, he said.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Chairman, Eleme LG Council, Ate Chinwi, said the people wanted a complete reconstruction of the road and not remedial work.
Chinwi said the Federal Government’s approval was merely a statement without the details provided about the work to be done.
“Right now, we are quite sceptical and are observing. This is just a statement issued by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio. But we don’t know the scope of work to be done and how realistic this is.
“So, RCC (the contracting firm) will have to come and if the minister can also avail himself, let us sit down and look at what is to be done and how to sustain it. We don’t need remedial work anymore.
“You and I know we have had remedial work on that road before and it still goes bad. So, pending a formal engagement, the Eleme local government chairman, who is the chief security officer, the (local government) area will issue a statement.
“For now, the RCC has to come down. The community wants to see them physically and have some kind of engagement with them to ascertain the scope and the level of commitment they have to sustain what they want to start,” he added.