Failed portion of East West Road at Aleto-Eleme Axis

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Some concerned youths of Eleme in Eleme local government area of Rivers State this morning blocked the Aleto-Eleme Axis of the East-West road to draw the attention of the authorities to the failed of the trunk A federal road.

This has hampered both human and vehicular traffic. An eyewitness said the youths said they were blocking the road to draw the attention of the relevant federal and state government agencies to urgently intervene to fix the dangerous ditch before the bridge near the Ukulu River.

The youths who have so far remained peaceful according to an eye witness, said they decided to block the only access road to over hundred multinational companies, including Indoroma Fertilizer plant (the largest in Africa which the Acting President, Yomi Osibanjo came to commission about two weeks ago), the oil and gas free zone, the two Port Harcourt refineries, the Onne Ports and others.

They said the eventual collapse of the road will not only affect the economy of the nation, it will also cut off the inhabitants of the area to the rest of the state and country.

Meanwhile, the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, through the Assitant Corps Commander, Arinze Igwe, not only confirmed the existence of the wide ditch. He, however,said his officers and men had been drafted to the area. According to Arinze Igwe,”The spot on the road has collapsed. We have deployed our men to the area. And we have put traffic code and caution signs in the affected area and we are diverting traffic to avert unforeseen circumstances and loss of lives. We will remain here until the spot is fixed.”

The Petroleum Tanker Drivers in State embarked on strike in July to protest against the state of the road. But due to the intervention of Governor Nyesom Wike, the strike was called off.