Protesters Camp On Benin-Sapele Road, Demand Reconstruction

There was confusion at the Ikpoba/Okha end of the Benin – Sapele expressway on Monday when indigenes and other residents of the communities in that axis blocked the road to protest the deplorable state of the road.
Hundreds of motorists and travellers were trapped in the gridlock that followed the protest that lasted overnight. The protesters lamented the failure of the federal, state and local governments to fix the road.
That section, according to the protesters, deserved to have a flyover because of the busy nature of the road. The federal road that links the Niger Delta region with the rest of the country also hosts massive investments, factories and new industries at the Edo state end of it.
The state of the road had been worsened by articulated vehicles belonging to major haulage companies that ply the route. They along with local tippers and other heavy duty vehicles create craters and potholes everyday.
The protesters occupied the road and mounted canopies under which they arranged tables and chairs to conduct their protests. Hawkers took advantage of the opportunity to sell their wares to the protesters and stranded commuters.
Speaking with reporters, Comrade Daniel Omorogbe, Chairman, Sarbag/Sapele road axis, said the blocking of the road and adjoining roads became necessary following series of deaths and loss of unquantifiable man hours of commuters on the road.
Comrade Omorogbe, leader of the platform of Freedom Ambassadors Organizations which joined Sarbag/Sapele Road residents in the protest warned people against traveling the Benin-Sapele road during the protest.
Comrade Omorogbe said in the past when the road got bad, they carried out a peaceful protest, which forced Edo State government to hurriedly start work on the bad portions. But to their surprise, the federal government halted the work, on the grounds that was the responsibility of the federal government to fix the road, not the state government.
He said, “Last year, we protested and the state governor came and made a promise that within 24 hours, he was going to mobilize contractors to come and work. He came with Hartland and Levant contractors, and after first day of their working, the federal government sent their troops.
“I was there and nobody told me about it.
“They asked the contractors to stop the work. And ever since, they have not been working. So, we did another letter to the federal ministry of works, Abuja to Fashola, they replied us.
“They said the road has been awarded to Levant Construction company. I went to Levant, the contractor, they said they didn’t award the road to them.
“I did another letter again to Fashola, saying we want to have Sarbag meeting with him, they didn’t allow us to see him.”
Omorogbe said residents of the environs have taken it upon themselves to avert unwarranted deaths on Benin-Sapele road and put an end to the nightmares their children face when either going to school or returning from school.
“For us, our children cannot access their places on time. Our children going to school is a problem. Like the tanker that fell last two weeks there, had it happened in the afternoon, it would have been a disaster but the luck we had is that it happened at night.
“So, we feel the pains of our brothers who lost their lives. The person that died there the other time, his marriage should have been done last Friday, he is our brother.
“Last year, a similar thing happened, somebody died under the bridge. So, the property that have been destroyed is unquantifiable.
“We cannot just fold up our hands, we are all tax payers, let him come and fix the road, we are not begging him to give us money, let him come and work for us,” he said.
The leader of the group threatened to remain on the road until the federal government mobilizes contractors to fix it.
“We are not leaving here any moment. If they come with their machine now, we will leave the road. If they come next month with their machine, we will leave the road, if it extends to Friday, the Muslim will say their prayers here and if extend to Sunday, we will do our service here,” he threatened.
It would be recalled that, three months ago, some elders, women, youths and residents living along Sapele road protested against the large bad portions of the federal government road.