From Joseph Obukata, Warri
Hundreds of residents of Ovrode community in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State, yesterday, blocked the ever-busy Ughelli/Asaba expressway to protest alleged neglect of the community by state and Federal Government.
The residents, in the wee hours of the day, barricaded the major expressway, preventing vehicular movement for hours. Commuters and motorists who were traveling through the road to either Onitsha or Asaba, the state capital, were stranded.
The placard-carrying protesters, comprising men and women, alleged that they were neglected by government, as there were no basic amenities anywhere in the oil host community.
Some of placards bore inscriptions such as “We are neglected and abandoned in Ovrode Community”, “Federal and state governments should come to Ovrode’s aid”, “Ovrode is bleeding, come to our rescue”, “No government presence in Ovrode”, and “Unconducive learning environment in Ovrode Government Schools”, among others.
(Continued on www.sunnewsonline)
Addressing newsmen, president-general of Ovrode Community, Mr Felix Efedhoma, said, “Ovrode, as an oil-producing community since 1963 till date, has no federal or state government projects in the community.”
“Ovrode Community has no primary health care center, no portable water to drink, both Primary and Secondary schools in the Community are all dilapidated. No road network within the community, no State or Federal Government structure in the community.
“Even the Honourable member representing Isoko North Constituency in Delta State House of Assembly months ago held a town hall meeting with us and promised to channel our grievance to the State government. We equally wrote a letter to the State Governor Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as regards how they short changed us as a community. But as we speak, no positive response from him or the State Governor. This is appalling and we are not happy with it.” He added.