By Emmanuel Ekebe
Landlords, landladies and residents of Okumagba Layout in Warri, Delta State have cried Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori to urgently come to their aid by fixing the grossly dilapidated roads within the premier layout in the oil city.
The people of the popular layout in a two page ‘Save our Soul’ letter to the Delta State Governor, signed by Chief Williams Ebieroma, Chairman and Mr. Richard Okoro, Secretary, stated that the deplorable roads in the area particularly in and around Enughe, Idiaregbe, Eduwaye, Mukoko, Ojugo, Urerhi and Osiobe Streets.
Other affected Streets include Arieyene, Oyokomino, Akpatabi, Etero, Arisheri and Okotie all measuring about 4 kilometres are in dire need of rehabilitation.
The people who lamented that though the densely populated layout was well planned and linked through Enughe Street, the major corridor on the axis to the busy Okumagba Avenue, Giwa Amu and Ugborikoko–Airport Roads, the area has become impassable to both human and vehicular traffic especially this raining season due to the failed roads and drainages some of which were constructed over fifty years.
They stated further that the residents are thus perpetually traumatized and feel alienated from the rest of society as getting into and from their places of abode has become a nightmare that is better imagined than experienced.
To make matters worse, according to the letter, “socio-economic activities, in the area have been paralyzed as schools, hospitals, medical laboratories, churches, hotels and others are always completely shutdown for days whenever it rains”.
They stated further that “it is equally worrisome that even the Catholic Assumption Hospital along Idiaregbe road where HIV and Tuberculosis patients are treated free is also adversely affected by this dilemma”.
The letter which was attached with photographs and the map of the area indicating the affected streets, enjoined the State Governor to quickly save them from their agonies by effecting the rehabilitation of the roads soonest; “as it will serve as a lasting legacy to the credit of sincerity of purpose to improve the quality of the life of Deltans”.
