By Ebi Kesiena
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has pledged to restore the failed sections of the East-West Road between Ahoada and Ula-Okobo town in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, to provide urgent relief to motorists who are now forced to divert to community roads.
NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, who inspected the failed sections of the road along with other directors of the Commission, described the situation as deplorable.
In a statement by Director, Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, the NDDC boss expressed shock at the level of devastation, pledging that the NDDC will collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Works to commence remedial action on the road immediately.
Ogbuku, noted that it was important to work in tandem with the Ministry of Works because they were currently constructing huge culverts at the sections that were washed away during the 2022 flood.
The NDDC boss recalled that the Commission had engaged SETRACO, a road construction company to undertake remedial works on the damaged sections of the East West Road after it was ravaged by flood in 2022.
Ogbuku assured that the Commission would engage and complement the efforts of the construction company working for the Federal Ministry of Works to urgently fix the failed and unmotorable section of the road to restore the links between Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states.
He stated: “As an interventionist agency, we shall compliment the efforts of both the Federal and State Governments by taking measures to ease the stress commuters face on a daily basis.”
The project Manager of the construction company at the site, Engr. Kingsley Oyeama, described the damage on the road as extensive and huge. He, however, assured that the company would take all necessary measures to make the road motorable in the shortest possible time.
The President of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC Worldwide, Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri, thanked the NDDC for responding promptly to the distress calls of Niger Deltans who were bearing the pains of the damaged road.
He appealed to the Federal Government to make the East-West Road its priority and repair it immediately, noting that the road was the only major link between the South-East, South-South and the South-West region.
A truck driver, who was among many others stuck at Okobo, narrated their ordeals while plying the East-West Road. He said apart from the numerous accidents that had been recorded on the road due to the bad spots, they were most times trapped in the traffic for several hours.
He lamented that the East-West Road had become a nightmare to motorists and passengers.
