Ohanaeze Youths Demand Fashola’s Resignation For ‘Undermining Rehabilitation Of Southeast Roads’

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC), weekend, demanded the resignation of works minister Babatunde Raji Fashola for failure to execute a majority of approved road projects in the Southeast region.

The group also berated the Buhari administration for ‘deliberately neglecting the zone’.

OYC, in a statement signed by its president-general, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently pay attention to dilapidated federal roads in the region to improve business activities of the people.

According to the statement, “It has come to the knowledge of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) that there are attempts to sabotage the approval for the dualization and rehabilitation of deplorable roads by the Federal Executive Council, FEC, during its a valedictory session held in May 2019.

The roads approved by FEC were the dualization and rehabilitation of Aba-Ikot Ekpene expressway, dualization and rehabilitation of Umuahia/Ikot Ekpene, dualization and expansion of Owerri-Aba, rehabilitation of Okigwe-Ideato-Akokwa-Onitsha expressway, and the rehabilitation of Abeaomege-Ugehi expressway.

It was pronounced by the minister of works, Babatunde Raji Fashola.

“Igbo youths call on President Muhammadu Buhari to give a presidential order to relieve difficulties and hellish experience commuters face while plying these federal roads. The bad state of these roads has given some motorists undue advantage by hiking transportation fares in the conveyance of agricultural products.

The most significant of these roads is the Aba axis of the Enugu-Port Harcourt highway which has made the popular Ariaria International Markets inaccessible and impassable. We also call on Mr President, as a matter of urgency, to let work commence on these roads to avert any protests around the corner.

Also, Fashola should resign immediately or the minister will be made to face legal action for undermining these approved dualizations and rehabilitation of dilapidated federal roads in the Southeast geopolitical zone.”