Ogoni youths call off protest on Eleme-Onne East-West road
The Ogoni youths have called off their protest on the Eleme-Onne East-West road, following an appeal by the federal government to enable construction company commence work on the road, Peoples Gazette can report.
The youths have been camping on the road, which they say have become a death trap, for a week.
The demonstrators which comprise all the youth groups in local government areas of Ogoni origin started their protest last Monday, barricading the busy road leading to over fifty companies including the Nigeria Port Authority.
The protest was called off Sunday evening after a thanksgiving service at the protest ground which brought several dignitaries including some state and federal lawmakers.
A live broadcast of the event on social media, monitored by The Gazette, on Sunday evening had hundreds of youth including civil society organisations, singing and praising God for the week-long successful protest.
Leaders from the different Ogoni regions who spoke separately warned the federal government to keep to its promises by working on both sides of the roads, noting that failure to carry out a thorough reconstruction of the roads, would lead to another massive protest.
The Gazette had earlier reported that section one to four of the roads had killed hundreds of commuters, passerby including the Ogoni people.
Travelers are always scared while using the road alongside heavy-duty trucks from the companies.
Multiple sources told The Gazette that weeks back, a teenager was killed by a truck on motion, carrying a container on one of the bad spots.
Travelers and commercial drivers as of 8:00 a.m. on Monday confirmed to The Gazette on the telephone that the road is now opened for all.
Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, in a statement earlier sent to The Gazette, confirmed that payment of N2.5 billion has been made to construction company, RCC, to commence work while another N2.5 billion has been set aside for compensation to property owners along the corridor.
The Gazette also learnt that the construction company as of Sunday evening had taken some of their equipment to the site, appealing to the protesters to leave the road as payment has been made for work to commence.
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