Residents, Council Boss Blame FG As Expatiate Drowns On Failed Bridge in Rivers
Residents of Aleto and the Council Boss of Eleme LGA in Rivers State, Hon Brain Gokpa have blamed the Federal Government for its inability to complete the east-west road where an accident occurred which led to the drowning of an Expatiate on the Aleto bridge, for which the remains have been recovered.
The Aleto Bridge very close to the Refinery has since been physically distressed with fear of total collapse someday.
Despite the repeated calls for its repair, the Federal Government was yet to take any meaningful action.
The east road which runs across the Aleto Bridge is a critical route for several multinational companies operating in the area, but it has been neglected by the government, leading to countless losses of lives and property at various times preceeding today’s incident.
Speaking on the incident, Chief Gokpa said, “This accident is avoidable. It is a direct result of the poor state of the road, which has been neglected by the federal government despite our repeated appeals”.
Chief Gokpa also emphasised that the government’s inaction is not only costing lives but also undermining the economic development of the region. “It is unacceptable that despite the presence of several multinational companies in the area, the government has failed to provide a safe and reliable road network,” he said.
The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, has also visited the scene.
The details of the Expatiate remains sketchy as at press time.
Didactic Information Hut gathered that the incident happened while the driver of the Hilux Vehicle was reportedly trying to escape from kidnappers who targeted the van along the Eleme section of the East-West Road.
