The people of Otolokpo kingdom in Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State have appealed to the state government to intervene on the road linking the community with its neighbour towards Egbu Akan community in Aniocha South Local Government Area.
The traditional ruler, Obi Alioma Collins Ezenwali, said that residents of Otolokpo had been cut off from their neighbours of Ute-Elugwu, Egbu Akan, Ejeme and beyond following the state of the road linking the communities.
It will be recalled that the immediate past administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa completed a section of the road from Boji Boji Owa to Otolokpo while contract on the road from Otolokpo to Ute-Elugwu-Egbu Akan-Ejeme is yet to be awarded.
However, Obi Ezenwali said since the road became impassable some years ago, it has been nightmares for neighbours to transport their farm produce to Otolokpo market while indigenes find it difficult going to farm.
“The road was tarred up to the secondary school in this town and from there to Ebu-Eno, it has been taken over by bush. The road has virtually closed.
“It will shock you to know that this road was a major motorable earth road from the 1960s until it went bad and was abandoned few years ago.
“We are appealing to our amiable governor, Sheriff Oborevwori to help us and complete the road at least up to the next community, Ebu-Eno so that people from that axis can access our kingdom and vice versa.
“Travellers going to communities in that corridor from our kingdom usually go through Ute Okpu-Alohen- Ute Elugwu road costing commuters extra hours to get to their destinations.
“The problem is between Otolokpo and Ebu-Eno and once it is open up, our people will no longer suffer accessing their farms. Once completed, commuters from Agbor and its environs will find it easier going to Kwale in Ndokwa West Local Government Area of the state.”
The monarch decried the dilapidation of the community’s market which he said had lowered the economic activities of the community.
“We want our market rebuilt by the authority concern. Our market is decaying and dying gradually,” he said.
On the atrocities committed by herders in the area, the monarch said they often invade farms and harvest crops, adding that most farmers were scared going to the bush for agricultural activities.
“They go to our farms, uproot cassava and use it to feed their cows, making us poorer. So we want if a ranch can be built for these herdsmen in our area. That will save us a lot of troubles,” he said.
The monarchs commended the state government for the network of roads in the kingdom, just as he called on the incumbent administration to extend the dividends of MORE agenda to villages that are yet to benefit.
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