FROM IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY
People of Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State have berated the Minister for Regional Development, Engr Abubakar Momoh, for allegedly commissioning a non-existing Abraka-Oben Road in the local government.
The protesters, under the aegis of ‘Ugu Youths Development for Change, UYDC, described the commissioning of the road as a calculated attempt to cover up the continuous neglect of the area that houses the largest gas deposit in West Africa.
Coordinator of the youths, Comrade Monday Osemwenkhae, in a protest letter yesterday, said their members cut across over 13 communities in Ugu Ward in Orhiomwon Local Government Area.
“We are here to say that the said Abraka-Oben Road which was commissioned by Momoh is not existing anywhere in our locality.
“The said road is a calculated attempt to cover up the continuous neglect of our area by his ministry and its affiliate agency and commission like the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, for a very long period.
“But, what we have gotten is the commissioning of a non existing road with our community name attached to divert attention from the neglect of the roads in that area.”
According to them, the link roads to Oben are Ugo-Obozogbe-Iguelaba road and Umoghun-Nokhua Oben road, and the former is currently undergoing construction, courtesy of community efforts and a private company.
He said the name ‘Oben’ had been used as a cash cow for many years.
Osemwenkhae noted that while the present administration of President Bola Tinubu is expected to change the narrative, the minister came to commission a non-existing road using the community’s name.
However, when contacted, Engr Momoh explained that the road he commissioned was from from Abraka to Oben, and not from Benin to Oben.
“They should go through Abraka to Oben. We did not say from Benin to Oben; we said Abraka to Oben, that is, from the Delta end. So, they should get it clear.
“You can now move from Oben to Abraka without stress. The ministry did the one from Benin up to 20 kilometers before. The other one, is taking off, from Abraka to Benin, the first phase has been completed, it is a 10-kilometre road, Abraka to Oben, not Benin to Abraka,” Momoh explained.
