Residents of Ugbihioko Quarters, Upper Ekenwan Road, Benin City, on Wednesday, resumed the Sallah holiday to a harrowing experience as the youths of the locality blocked the Ugbihioko-Ekenwan Barracks Road in protest against the parlous state of the road.
The protesting youths accused the Edo State Government of abandoning the road which started over five years ago.
The angry youths and women barricaded the road at the beginning of the bad portion and at the exit bad portion, thus cutting off commuters heading for the Ring Road axis of the city.
The barricades, which were mounted as early as 7.00 am, left many students stranded, even as schools in the locality resumed their end-of-the-session examinations.
The protesters, who claimed the road was abandoned, said the bad portions of the road had led to hike in transport fares and had brought untold hardships to motorists as well as inhabitants.
One of the protesters, Addison Ugiagbe, said “freedom doesn’t come on a platter of gold, it comes by struggle. I didn’t plan for this, I came to meet the road was blocked.
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“My kids didn’t go to school. If anyone is being deprived of going to work or school, it is not intentional, it is for the betterment of the people. If the government had done the right thing, we will not meet the road barricaded by residents”.
Also speaking, another resident, who preferred anonymity, said the barricades had prevented him from going to his workplace.
“It is frustrating. I have been here for more than an hour now. As you can see the road is blocked. Some drivers are already looking for alternative routes so they can get to their destination and carry the business of the day.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner for Roads and Bridges, Mr Newton Okojie, denied that the project had been abandoned, saying that the state government would complete the project as when due.
“I don’t know where they got the information that the project has been abandoned. Every project has a date of commencement and completion date.
“It is not yet the end of that project and the contractor has not left the site. Activities at the site may have been reduced due to the rain but this does not mean abandonment and I don’t know where they got the information from or how they came to conclusion.
“This Government does not abandon projects. Such a project cannot start this month and end the next. There are a lot of jobs that are being done and people should exercise patience. The government will definitely complete the job it has started,” Okojie assured.
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Ekenwan Road residents protest parlous state of road
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