Former Niger Delta agitators plan to protest deplorable East-West Road, blame Umahi

A group of former agitators in the Niger Delta region, on Thursday, announced plans to stage a massive protest over the deteriorating condition of the East-West road.

The former agitators, led by Osaanya Osaanya, claimed the road project had been abandoned despite being vital to national infrastructure, including the Onne port, Port Harcourt Refinery and Indorama Eleme Petrochemical Ltd.

The protesters, who dubbed the planned demonstration as the “mother of all protests,” said they aimed to mobilize hundreds of youths from the region to demand immediate attention from the Federal Government.

The protests are expected to last for several days, with the aim of forcing the government to fix the road, which they describe as a “death trap.”

Osaanya criticized the Minister of Public Works, David Umahi, for allegedly awarding road contracts to substandard contractors, thereby causing unnecessary suffering to the people of the Niger Delta.

He called on various groups and leaders in the region, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, to join the protest and demand that the government take immediate action to address the situation.

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Osaanya said, “The problems we are facing on the East-West Road are caused by Dave Umahi, Minister of Public Works.

“How could he possibly carve out the most disturbing points that require immediate attention from a non-standard contractor?

“Or is the Minister of Public Works deliberately making the people of the Niger Delta suffer? We will convey this protest to the Minister’s house and the President so that they know what we are going through.

“We cannot continue to live like this as a nation. This is the main road that connects all of us in the Niger Delta, where most of the resources used to build major roads in other parts of the country come from.

“Why must we always be on our knees to beg for what is rightfully ours? This upcoming protest is another sad reminder of how we have been marginalized and neglected as a nation,” he said.

The planned protest highlights the long-term neglect and marginalization of the Niger Delta region, which has been a source of frustration for local residents.

The former agitators’ demands for proper road infrastructure have been welcomed by the wider community, who feel their resources have been exploited without adequate investment for their welfare and development.

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