Some residents of Opobo/Nkoro and Oyigbo local government areas in Rivers State have cried out to the state government to improve on the state of health infrastructure in the area which is fast deteriorating.
Investigation carried out by PHSpectator revealed that people in the areas face numerous health challenges due to poor state of health infrastructure and have to travel as far as Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State before they could access better health care.
Others who called on a local radio station programme, in Port Harcourt lamented the inability of the state government to maintain the existing health care centre built by previous administration in the areas.
According to them, the health centers do not dispense drugs and serious health problem that require surgery cannot be done in the local government except they have to travel to nearby LGA.
The people also complained about lack of portable drinking water in Opobo town as they said the existing one is undrinkable because of its colour and taste.
The residents bemoaned government’s neglect of the people’s cry over time about the state of the water scheme built in the area in the past but abandoned by the present administration due to lack of maintenance.
They appealed to the state government to speed up the completion of the Opobo/Nkoro section of the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro unity road to enhance business activities and improve livelihood in the area.
In oyigbo local government area, residents are asking the Rivers State government to at least construct the road leading to the state government’s cassava processing plant.
The residents, including drivers and business owners are disappointed that the road, which also leads to other revenue generating companies like the Afam Power Plant and Oil Sourcing firms, could be ignored for more than two years.
A landlord, Thompson Agu also told journalists that the bad state of the Afam road coupled with the recent unrest in the area have devalued his property.
On health care services, the President of Movement for the Development of Oyigbo Ethnic Nationality, Victor Okpute said most residents rely on private medical facilities.
The Deputy Leader of the group, Evidence Kelechi also complained of poor electricity supply in Oyigbo.
Efforts to reach the State Ministry of Health for comments on the matter yielded no fruits at the time of this report.
