Residents of Ebu community in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta Statehave raised the alarm over what they described as decades of government neglect, accusing successive administrations of abandoning the community to deteriorating infrastructure, deplorable roads and the absence of basic social amenities.
The residents, who expressed frustration over the worsening condition of their roads, said the situation had reached an alarming level, with motorists, commercial drivers and visitors facing serious difficulties accessing the community.
Several trailers and other heavy-duty vehicles were reportedly trapped along the damaged stretch of road, with some drivers said to have remained stranded for between two and three weeks, unable to move forward or reverse their vehicles.
The hardship was also experienced by members of the Association of Community Newspaper Publishers of Nigeria (ACNPN), and other Journalists who visited Ebu to cover the cultural festival.
The visiting journalists were compelled to park their vehicle at a point where further movement became impossible and trek approximately one kilometre to the palace of the Onu Ebu, where the festival was taking place.
Speaking on the deplorable situation, an indigene, Okai James, lamented that Ebu had suffered approximately three decades of neglect, questioning whether the community was still considered part of Delta State.
He expressed disappointment that successive administrations had failed to provide the community with adequate road infrastructure and other essential amenities, despite its longstanding presence within the state.
James, however, acknowledged the contributions of former Governor James Ibori, particularly the construction of the gateway road linking Ebu with Ukala-Ezi and neighbouring communities.
The residents have consequently appealed to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to extend his administration’s MORE Agenda to Ebu, insisting that the community should not continue to remain outside the benefits of the state’s development initiatives.
They specifically called on the governor to urgently intervene in the road crisis and provide sustainable solutions to the electricity and water challenges.
The community further recalled that Governor Oborevwori had previously dispatched a government delegation led by Hon. Patrick Ukah to visit Ebu and assess the deplorable condition of the community.
According to the residents, the delegation witnessed the difficulties confronting the people and the urgent need for government intervention, but they lamented that no meaningful action had followed the visit.
They therefore questioned why, despite the previous assessment and appeals, the road had continued to deteriorate without the commencement of substantial rehabilitation work.
The residents appealed to Governor Oborevwori to personally visit Ebu and witness the situation, expressing the belief that an on-the-spot assessment would provide a clearer understanding of the scale of the infrastructural challenges.
For the people of Ebu, the ECHIEKPANA Festival, which should ordinarily be a period of cultural celebration, reunion and community development, has become another painful reminder of years of infrastructural neglect.
The situation has also attracted the attention of members of the Association of Community Newspaper Publishers of Nigeria, who expressed concern over the isolation of the community and the difficulties encountered during their visit.
The publishers called on Governor Oborevwori to declare a state of emergency on the Ebu access road and direct the relevant government agencies to commence immediate rehabilitation.
They argued that the condition of the road had gone beyond routine maintenance, considering the extent of the deterioration, the number of stranded vehicles and the inability of motorists to access the community.
The ACNPN members stressed that no community should be effectively cut off from neighbouring areas because of the failure of its access roads, particularly when road infrastructure remains critical to commerce, agriculture, transportation and general economic development.
