From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
A resident of Ikpoba Community in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, Kenneth Omusi, yesterday, said that linking the incessant accidents and the gridlock within the Ikpoba River axis to the river goddess is a ploy to sabotage the good work of the state government.
He said this while reacting to the insinuation that the accidents and gridlocks within the Ikpoba River are happening because the goddess is angry with the ongoing dredging of the river.
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Mr. Omusi who doubles as the spokesperson for the community on the dredging of the river, said such insinuation is wrong rather, the accidents and the gridlock are man made.
Omusi said the drivers should be blamed for it because instead of concentrating on their driving, they are being distracted, leading to the various accidents on the axis.
According to him “I don’t think anything that is happening for the past couple of days in Ikoba River is because of the dredging. It doesn’t have anything to do with the dredging or the river goddess.
“I think what it is, is the bad road and poor drivers on wheel. If you look at the level of vehicles that are even involved in this accident and moreover, I live in this community, everyday I’m in this community.
“Before the dredging, there is no evening or within two days that we don’t have vehicle breaking down along the road. Most of those vehicles that are weak that cannot climb the hill either they roll back, we have rescued a lot of people from the river”,
He said due consultations and appeals were made before the commencement of the dredging of the river adding that for anyone to say that there was no consultations before the take off of the project, that was a lie.
“Before the beginning of the dredging of this Ikoba River, even the chief priest, Nosakhare Obaze the Ohenre of Ikoba Community has done due consultation.
“The community himself has done due consultation about whatsoever that have to be done. And I will tell you, our ancestor is happy with us for this project that was initiated by the administration of Senator Monday Okpebholo, the executive governor of Edo State and Engineer Andrew Ijegbai, the Honourable Commissioner of mining who initiated this project because if you come to this community, the indigenes of the community have suffered and have gone through a lot of things due to excessive flooding from the river over the years.
“So for people to now try to make out rumour from it that it is because of the dredging of the river, no that’s not at all”, Omusi said.
He said the residents of the community are happy with the ongoing dredging of the river considering what they have been through over the years, warning that nobody should hide under the goddess of the river is angry to discourage the governor for completing his work in the community.
“What is happening now is a very big development to the people of Ikoba community both home and abroad. We have spent a lot of money. We have done a lot of protest to see that this project is being done. And we know what previous administration, what they did about the project, how they used the project to siphon money without doing anything.
“Let no man hide under this to try to discourage the development that is currently ongoing in Ikpoba Community and the dredging of Ikpoba River”, Omusi said.
The dredging equipment by the side of the Ikpoba River in Benin City
The post Blaming Ikpoba River goddess on incessant accident, gridlock, ploy to sabotage efforts of Edo State govt — Resident appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
