By: Felix Ikpotor
There is palpable fear and agitation among the people of Andoni in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State as one of the bridges linking communities in the area risks collapse.
The bridge in question is the one linking Inyong –orung -Ebukuma and Ikuru Town, hometown of former deputy governor of the state, Engr. Tele Ikuru.
It would be recalled that the road was awarded by former governor Peter Odili but successive governments including the current one had failed to complete the road as people of the area lamented that the project has become a subject of political campaigns for politicians in the area in particular and state at large.
They noted that Sir, Celestine Omehia in his brief stay as governor visited the area but did nothing, Chibuike Amaechi while in office could not complete it and at present no contractor is on site in the area.
Just recently, a politician from the area who is also the Special Assistant to Governor Wike on Solid Waste, Mr. Fred Etteng had said the torrential rainfall in the state is responsible for the delay in the execution of the project. But this draw wide condemnation from some indigenes of the area who berated him, saying that despite the rain, work is still on-going in other parts of the state and further wondered why that of Andoni should be stalled.
An indigene of the area, Comr. Etete Ekeneoriono in a statement lamented that: “The only road initiated by Sir Peter Odili, abandoned, visited by Sir Celestine Omehia, abandoned, later promised by Rotimi Amaechi abandoned and Gov. E.N Wike during his campaign in Andoni promised with serious emphasis to complete this road. it is now abandoned. No known contractor is anywhere. Why is the Andoni development case different?”
He added that: “It might interest you to know that bridge was already collapsing even while the joke of work in Progress was on”.
He called on the government to come to the aid of the area.
Our reporter who visited the area reports that the Ebukuma bridge is in a terrible state as the sand and other concrete materials which sustained the bridge is gradually being washed-off by the river.
