OIL workers under the aegis of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria on Monday in Port Harcourt protested against the deplorable state of the Eleme-Refinery end of the East-West Road in Rivers State.
The protesters, who blocked a portion of the East-West Road, noted that motorists, including tanker drivers, had gone through tough times plying the route.
According to the state chairman of the Trade Union Congress, who is also an executive member of NUPENG, Mr. Chika Onuegbu, Mr. Godwin Eruba of PENGASSAN and the Zonal Secretary of PENGASSAN, Mr. Micheal Amadi, they spend long hours on the road, a factor that has caused them pains.
Urging the Federal Government to reconstruct the road without further delay, the union leaders noted that plying the road was a nightmare to motorists.
They warned that oil workers would embark on an industrial action if rehabilitation did not commence soon on the road.
Onuegbu specifically added that apart from the protesters, other commuters, including traders were going through horrible experiences on the road.
He said, "The East/West Road is the road that leads to the Eleme Petrochemical. It leads to the Port Harcourt Refinery; it also leads to the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone and the Onne Port.
"Ordinarily, the strategic importance of the road should have encouraged the authorities to embark on repair works without any delay."
An indigene of Eleme Local Government Area, who identified himself as Tanee, also decried the state of the road.
He said, "I no longer drive my car along the East/West Road, because of its poor state. Coming back from office is worse because you see different vehicles rushing to beat the nightmare caused by the poor state of this road."
Tanee explained that he had made it a tradition to leave for work by 5am in order to beat the traffic on the road.
The Punch
Some of our roads are not doing very well at all just yet. I just hope Goodluck Jonathan would do something about it...