East-West Road Project: Instruct Ministry Of Works To Uphold Original Design, Dekor Appeals To Tinubu
…Calls For Recognition Of Ogoni 4 To Foster Reconciliation
The Member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency at the Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Dumnamene Dekor, has called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure strict adherence to the original design of the East-West Road, particularly the sections traversing Ogoniland. Dekor made the appeal during a media interaction with Parliamentary Correspondents in Abuja on Monday.
While commending the President for prioritizing the long-abandoned road and expediting its reconstruction, Dekor expressed concerns that the Ministry of Works might be deviating from key structural features of the original design.
Notably, he highlighted the exclusion of three major flyovers, which he fears could exacerbate traffic congestion and undermine the project’s purpose.
“The East-West Road is more than just a road; it’s a vital economic corridor that runs through the heart of Ogoniland, connecting major hubs like the Ocean Terminal, Free Trade Zone, Notore Fertilizer Company, and numerous other businesses,” Dekor emphasized.
The lawmaker pointed out that the road links seven local government areas in Rivers State and extends to Akwa Ibom and Cross River, making it one of Nigeria’s busiest haulage routes after Lagos’s Apapa axis.
Although piling has been completed at critical intersections, Dekor warned that omitting the flyovers would lead to severe gridlock and economic losses.
Dekor also reacted to recent comments by Minister of Works, David Umahi, who dismissed concerns raised by Ogoni stakeholders as “faceless.”
The lawmaker countered, “I’m here with a face, and I speak on behalf of my people. You cannot claim a road is completed and then return days later to lay asphalt. The facts speak for themselves.”
Beyond infrastructure concerns, Dekor commended President Tinubu for posthumously honouring Ogoni environmental activists, including Ken Saro-Wiwa and Ledum Mitee, during the June 12 Democracy Day celebrations.
He also hailed the President for signing the bill establishing the Federal University of Environment, describing it as a “catalyst for development in Ogoni and the Niger Delta.”
Dekor appealed for the recognition of other Ogoni martyrs, such as the “Ogoni Four,” to foster reconciliation and lasting peace in the region.
“If these remaining injustices are addressed, I strongly believe that the era of unrest in Ogoniland will become history,” he noted. The lawmaker further praised Tinubu for signing the Federal University of Environmental Technology Ogoni, Rivers bill into law, stating that it will stimulate economic growth in the area.
