Ikpoba Hill Road Protest, Matters Arising

The protest by Ikpoba Hill Youths over the deplorable condition of the road linking Benin- Agbor and other South South States of the federation has elicited commendable response as the Edo state government has put mechanism in place to ensure required palliative is done on the failed portions to make it motorable until comprehensive rehabilitation is done by concerned federal authorities.

Recall that the deplorable situation of the road irked the youths who took to the streets and consequently barricaded the road in several places to press home their demand for its rehabilitation since Tuesday last week.

Palliative work has started from the Tony Dee point up to the Winners Chapel Church as at yesterday evening as hard core used as palliative have eased off the chaotic situations on that axis.

One of the respondents who spoke with the Champion Newspaper correspondent on the spot, Secretary of Ikpoba Hill Youths Forum, Sunny Ohaikpen observed that the Edo state governor has done well by listening to the plea of his people by coming to fix the bad road but according to him, "we are equally appealing that he should extend the work to Two sisters area of the road because those are the worst affected parts of the road," he asserted.

Also speaking to the champion newspaper correspondent, the Ikpoba Hill Youths Forum chairman, Comrade Kingsley Osemwigie said that he is happy that the Edo state governo Mr Godwin Obaseki visited the protesting youths to assure them of his readiness to have the failed portions repaired.

According to him, " His Excellency, Godwin Obaseki, the governor of Edo state has visited the Youths to assure them of his preparedness to fix the bad road and has deployed men and materials to commence the repair and as you can see, work has started from Tony Dee up to where we are standing now, Winners Chapel Church and because of the remedial work done now that is why you see free flow of vehicles now but we are also appealing to our amiable governor to extend the repair work to Bypass area because that is where the worst failed portions are and when those areas are equally repaired we would be sure of having a stress-free yuletide season and we are optimistic that our people's governor will keep to his promise of extending the repair work as far as Two sisters area.

" Our only worries now is the slow pace of work by the contractor. We expected that he should have been more up and doing because as you can see now they are not yet at site but we have called the engineer and he said he is on his way.

" As you can see those hard core on ground is what our Youths just provided to support the efforts of the government who have come to our rescue.

" I must inform you that we the Ikpoba Hill Youths, residents and every well meaning individuals who ply this route are very happy for the rehabilitation currently on-going and we are also elated because the governor has promised to fix the old road and other adjourning roads to the federal road".