Diri Calls On S/S Legislators To Push For The Completion Of East-West Road

 

Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri,   has called on South-South legislators in the National Assembly to make the issue of the uncompleted East-West road a matter of national priority on the floor of the national legislature.

This was as called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately sack the  the contractor handling the repair  of the Okogbe axis of the East-West road in Rivers State (culverts project) for causing pains to Nigerians adding  that he  lacks the  capacity to handle the road repair.

He appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Government to act swiftly to end the suffering of commuters at the road.

In a statement by Daniel Alabrah, Chief Press Secretary  to Governor Diri, he stated that   he was stuck  on Friday for more than two hours at the bad portion of the road on his way to the Niger Delta Stakeholders Summit in Port Harcourt and lamented that some commuters and vehicles had been on one spot for more than a week.

 He described the situation as pathetic and unacceptable staying that  the road, connects all South-South states and therefore very important to be left in such impassable state.

He also stated that as the region that lays the golden egg for the country, the Niger Delta people deserve better than the pitiable situation on the road and urged the Minister of Works,  Engr. Dave Umahi, to visit the bad portions to see things for himself.

Speaking with Mr. Kingsley  Onyema, the project supervisor of the company handling the project, Rock Result, the governor questioned the rationale behind not making a section of the road passable for motorists rather than working on both lanes at the same time.

While appealing to people of the region to be patient, he dismissed claims by the contractor that drivers were impatient and urged the contractor to speed up the pace of work on the project. 

He said: "It is chaotic, pathetic and unbelievable that this is happening to an oil producing area that lays the golden egg for our country. 

"The way forward is for the Federal Government to realise that an urgent step must be taken now. I commend the good intentions of the Federal Government but the Minister of Works need to come here and see things for himself and not rely on information from the contractor. I have spoken to the Minister about this road.

"You are all aware that the same flood of 2022 damaged roads in Bayelsa and we have fixed all of them. So how come an important road like this will be in this bad state? I am pained.

"Let me appeal to Mr. President to call all relevant officials concerning this road to ensure that the work is done to reduce the suffering of our people. From what I see, there is no plan on the part of the contractor and the company should be sacked."