UGHELLI/Nigeria: Hundreds of women from Uto-Ewu federated communities in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State recently barricaded the Ohoror/Bomadi road in protest of the poor state of the only road leading to their communities.
Passengers heading to other communities in Ughelli South and Bomadi Local Government Areas of the state were stranded as the placard carrying women held siege on the road promising not to allow any form of electoral exercise in their areas during the 2019 general election.
The protesters also expressed worries that with the advent of the dry season, herdsmen who graze their herds on their farm produce are gradually returning noting that they are still mourning the death of three indigenes of the area that were allegedly killed by herdsmen in their farms.
The women had in last year, embarked on a similar exercise during a visit by the state governor who was in the area to inspect a road project with a promise to input the project for the road construction into the 2019 appropriation bill.
However, they alleged that a peek into the 2019 appropriation bill reveals that the project for the road is excluded hence their action.
It took the timely intervention of the President General, Uto-Ewu development union, Pastor Edewor Egedegbe and the councillor representing the area, Andrew Arhiavwarien to pacify the women and evacuate them from the road back to their respective communities.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Florence Itule said: “We have a voting strength of about 7, 000, yet we have nothing to show for it even in terms of political appointment. Last year, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa addressed us claiming that he is unaware of the state of the road and promised to input it in this year’s budget, but information at our disposal has it that the road is not captured in the budget.”
Addressing the women, Egedegbe and Arhiavwarien in their respective remarks, noted that the community lacks government presence since 1999 adding that the communities have continued to suffer neglect from the government especially during the raining seasons as well as the activities of herdsmen in the area.
