Protesters crush socio-economic activities on the deplorable state of the Benin-Sapélé highway
Socio-economic activities along the Benin-Sapélé road were disrupted on Monday morning following protests by residents against the permanent deplorable state of the road.
It was found that the entry and exit points of the Benin-Sapélé road were blocked by protesters, resulting in a traffic jam.
A long line of articulated trucks and cars lines the dilapidated road that serves Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and other South-South oil-producing states.
Some motorists and residents, who travel the road daily, have vowed to stay on the road until the road is repaired.
The Benin/Sapélé road has been in a terrible state for a long time.
It will be remembered that last year it took the intervention of the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, to appease the protesters, mainly young people who had occupied the road, to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the harrowing experience that commuters go through on a daily basis. basis.
The young people had set up awnings and giant tripods, cooking, eating and dancing to the music of a backup disc jockey (DJ).
The protesters, however, pulled off the road following assurances from Obaseki that the road would receive the necessary attention with a promise to mobilize contractors to the site.
Remedial work began on the road the following day with contractors moving heavy equipment to the site and some repairs carried out, but the road now appears to have been abandoned with the rainy season underway.
One of Monday's protesters, Raymond Eshebugan, who spoke to reporters, said "we are tired. Last year (November to be exact) we went out, we protested, the governor came out , he addressed us, he accused the federal government of playing politics with the road.
“The governor, after making promises, after 24 hours, he really deployed contractors on this road. We applauded the governor for that.
READ ALSO IN NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
"But four days later, the Comptroller of the Federal Department of Public Works in Aduwawa, the man came with military and police and arrested the contractors working on the road, saying the road was a du federal government that the state government had no right to build the road or anything.
"It was November of last year, here we are on August 1, 2022 and nothing has been done.
"The road is no longer passable. If our children go to school in the morning, they spend two or three hours on the road, if they return, they spend three hours depending on the case.
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“Whenever it rains, just know that this day is useless for all of us who live here or travel the road.
"This road leads to four other roads in the Niger Delta. It has great economic value for the state and the federal government.
"If they claim they are broke, they can give the oil companies a tax exemption.
"We have about six to seven oil companies here; we have Seplat Energy, Summit, Panocean, and even NPDC.
"The best gas in the world comes from here, and yet they do this to us despite the enormous revenue the federal government derives from here.
"We decided to be here until they do something. We don't want rehabilitation, we want a standard road, if they want to bring the RCC, let them bring it.
"We want a standard route, this route needs to be extended."
Another protester, who expressed his frustration, said: "All we are asking is that the road be widened. We have written several letters, but nothing. More than 300 heavily laden trucks are criss-crossing this road daily.
"It's an eyesore; it's a state that the feds get a lot out of. What don't we say? The feds actually neglected the road.
"Vehicle traffic on this road is high. We have vehicles going in and out of the Niger Delta states to the east-west road and even to the Bakassi Peninsula.
"We are not just asking for roads, we are asking for durable roads with quality asphalt and bitumen, roads that can last up to 50 years or so."
Meanwhile, at the time the report was filed, no official from the Federal Highways Maintenance Agency (FERMA) or any other government official had addressed the protesters.
Dozens of law enforcement officers were seen on the protest grounds, however.
100% natural solution to finally put an end to premature ej...
Socio-economic activities along the Benin-Sapélé road were disrupted on Monday morning following protests by residents against the permanent deplorable state of the road.
It was found that the entry and exit points of the Benin-Sapélé road were blocked by protesters, resulting in a traffic jam.
A long line of articulated trucks and cars lines the dilapidated road that serves Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and other South-South oil-producing states.
Some motorists and residents, who travel the road daily, have vowed to stay on the road until the road is repaired.
The Benin/Sapélé road has been in a terrible state for a long time.
It will be remembered that last year it took the intervention of the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, to appease the protesters, mainly young people who had occupied the road, to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the harrowing experience that commuters go through on a daily basis. basis.
The young people had set up awnings and giant tripods, cooking, eating and dancing to the music of a backup disc jockey (DJ).
The protesters, however, pulled off the road following assurances from Obaseki that the road would receive the necessary attention with a promise to mobilize contractors to the site.
Remedial work began on the road the following day with contractors moving heavy equipment to the site and some repairs carried out, but the road now appears to have been abandoned with the rainy season underway.
One of Monday's protesters, Raymond Eshebugan, who spoke to reporters, said "we are tired. Last year (November to be exact) we went out, we protested, the governor came out , he addressed us, he accused the federal government of playing politics with the road.
“The governor, after making promises, after 24 hours, he really deployed contractors on this road. We applauded the governor for that.
READ ALSO IN NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
"But four days later, the Comptroller of the Federal Department of Public Works in Aduwawa, the man came with military and police and arrested the contractors working on the road, saying the road was a du federal government that the state government had no right to build the road or anything.
"It was November of last year, here we are on August 1, 2022 and nothing has been done.
"The road is no longer passable. If our children go to school in the morning, they spend two or three hours on the road, if they return, they spend three hours depending on the case.
>“Whenever it rains, just know that this day is useless for all of us who live here or travel the road.
"This road leads to four other roads in the Niger Delta. It has great economic value for the state and the federal government.
"If they claim they are broke, they can give the oil companies a tax exemption.
"We have about six to seven oil companies here; we have Seplat Energy, Summit, Panocean, and even NPDC.
"The best gas in the world comes from here, and yet they do this to us despite the enormous revenue the federal government derives from here.
"We decided to be here until they do something. We don't want rehabilitation, we want a standard road, if they want to bring the RCC, let them bring it.
"We want a standard route, this route needs to be extended."
Another protester, who expressed his frustration, said: "All we are asking is that the road be widened. We have written several letters, but nothing. More than 300 heavily laden trucks are criss-crossing this road daily.
"It's an eyesore; it's a state that the feds get a lot out of. What don't we say? The feds actually neglected the road.
"Vehicle traffic on this road is high. We have vehicles going in and out of the Niger Delta states to the east-west road and even to the Bakassi Peninsula.
"We are not just asking for roads, we are asking for durable roads with quality asphalt and bitumen, roads that can last up to 50 years or so."
Meanwhile, at the time the report was filed, no official from the Federal Highways Maintenance Agency (FERMA) or any other government official had addressed the protesters.
Dozens of law enforcement officers were seen on the protest grounds, however.
100% natural solution to finally put an end to premature ej...
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