Ogbia Community Protest Abandonment Of Projects, Plead For Succour

By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa.

The people of Otuabula i, Otuabula ii and Ewoi communities of Ogbia local Government area, Bayelsa state have protested over what they called total abandonment and neglect of project sited in their domain.

Speaking to newsmen, the leader of the protesting communities and chairman, community development committee (CDC) Otuabula ii, Mr Itade Nayam said the Bayelsa state government, the Niger delta development commission and other Government parastatals in their quest to under-develop and undermine the process of urbanization of their communities have deliberately refused to   complete the Otuoke – Otua bula – Ogbia town road project which was awarded since the former governor Timipere Sylva’s administration for no specific reason.

Itade maintained that whereas the road expected to carry just two minor bridges would have also been an alternative route to other parts of Nembe Local Government Area and make routes to some far-flung Ogbia communities, the Dickson’s government rather than continue the project from where his predecessor stopped have continue to pay lip service to  calls by Nigerians to complete the project, stressing that as a result development which was on a faster phase in the area following the start-up of the  project is now relatively slow.

The Ogbia communities have therefore called on the Niger delta development commission (NDDC), the Bayelsa state government, well-meaning individuals, donors and other interventionist agencies to rescue the area from total underdevelopment and economy collapse by re-awarding and completing of the road.

It would be recalled that the former governor Sylva’s administration sometime in 2008 awarded the Otuoke – Otuabula – Ogbia town road project.