By: Felix Ikpotor
Following delay in the reconstruction the Eleme section of the East -West in Rivers State, the Movement For The Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, led by Prof Olu Andah Wai-Ogosu has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government and Reynolds Construction Company, the contractor handling the road to return to site or face total shut down of activities in the area.
MOSOP in a statement signed by the Publicity Secretary, Comrade Imeabe Saviour Oscar said that the rate of accidents occasioned by loss of lives and properties on that axis of the East -West Road has become worrisome and it can no longer keep silent.
MOSOP regrets further that despite the huge revenue accruing to the Federal Government from the axis, the government have continued to pay lip-service with the construction of the road.
To this end, MOSOP has urged all Ogonis to prepare for total shut down of the road at the expiration of the 14-days ultimatum begining from the date of publication of this release.
The statement read:
“That it is worrisome that despite the huge revenue accruing from within the Ogoni ethnic nationality especially the Onne Oil&Gas Free Trade Zone which houses hundreds of companies, the Eleme Petrochemical Company, Eleme Refinery and other Federal, State and private assets, the entire stretch of the road had remained in sorry state and a nightmare to travelers. The road is now a death trap to the Ogoni people.
“Also recall that only recently, a fatal fire accident occured on that road which destroyed over 100 vehicles and claimed many lives which resulted from the bad nature of the road and several other deaths that can’t be accounted for which occurs daily on that road.
“The government’s silence and inaction are appalling because we had expected that President Bola Tinubu at this point would have prioritized the completion of the road, but it seems that’s the opposite.
“As voices and representatives of Ogoni People, we are greatly disturbed that the Federal Government has neglected this vital road that links Rivers to other Southern states for too long and we can’t take it anymore and the time for action is now.”
On this note, “We are giving the Federal Government a 14-day grace period beginning from today, to fine tune whatever arrangements it has with RCC and return to site as Ogoni People are no longer interested in the politics going on with the company and the Federal Ministry of Works. All we need is speedy completion of that road or we shall shut it down completely and cripple economic activities in that entire zone.
“We call on all Ogonis to get ready and prepare for massive protest on the Eleme section of the East -West Road at the expiration of this ultimatum. The Federal Government has taken Ogoni forgranted for too long and we can’t accept that any longer. The time to save our land is now and we must act.”
