TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
Etche ethnic nationality has expressed its unalloyed loyalty to the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, for his quick intervention on deplorable roads challenges confronting the area.
Ogbakor Etche, the apex socio-cultural association of the ethnic nationality, expressed this at the weekend, through its President-General, Machy Nwodim, and Secretary General, E. Kas-Nwogu.
The people said they had approached the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Federal Ministry of Works and Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to come to their aid, but no response has come from any of the above-mentioned government agencies.
According to the Ogbakor Etche, Governor Wike, on assumption of office, had executed several road projects abandoned past government, which affected the economy of the people.
They appealed to the governor to approve that some ongoing roads undergoing rehabilitation receive permanent reconstruction next year.
They noted: “Ogbakor Etche recalls the prompt attention given by His Excellency (Governor Wike) in opening up Etche, shortly after assuming office in 2015, leading to the reconstruction of the Igwuruta-Chokocho Road, which was impassable and Etche cut off from the state, prior to Governor Wike’s assumption of office.
“Ogbakor Etche uses this opportunity to appeal to His Excellency to graciously approve that the ongoing rehabilitation work on the failed Chokocho-Umuanyagu-Okomoko-Egwi-Ulakwo-Okehi-Igbodo/Amala (Imo State) road be extended to the failed portions of the road between Ulakwo and Akwukabi and Okehi, while we hope for a permanent reconstruction next year.
“Ogbakor Etche had reached out to NDDC severally, culminating in bringing the management of Professor Nelson Brambaifa to visit the road and assurances given, unfortunately not translated into action. We have also been in touch with the Federal Ministry of Works and Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA)”, Nwodim and Kas-Nwogu stated.