By Atevure Princess,

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Warri Correspondents’ Chapel said, Warri, Effurun and environs have become a displeasing enclave of dirt, with refuse taken over various parts of the metropolis, blurring the aesthetic beauty of the oil-rich city with imminent risk of epidemics.

The Union noted that Warri and Effurun are shamefully bedeviled with deplorable roads with huge potholes and gullies dotting them and blocked drainages which has resulted in perennial flooding year-in, year-out, a situation that calls for urgent government attention.

The Union in a communiqué issued and signed by its Chairman, Comrade Okies Veeky and Secretary, Joe Ogbodu after its Congress held on Monday, December 23, 2019 appealed to the Delta State government led by Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa to take urgent steps to stop the drift of Warri and Effurun into a big slum.

The Congress while commending the Warri and Uvwie Development Agency for the ongoing clean-up of refuse at road medians along Effurun roundabout and NPA and the award of contract for the construction of underground drainages to mitigate the perennial floods in Warri and Uvwie axis, urged them not to relent.

Parts of the Communiqué reads:

“That the NUJ Warri Correspondents’ Chapel has, however, noticed that Warri and Effurun are shamefully bedeviled with deplorable roads and blocked drainages which has been resulting in perennial flooding year-in, year-out in Warri and environs.

That Congress also noticed that many of the roads within Warri and Effurun are begging for government’s immediate attention as most of the roads are bad and not passable with huge potholes and gullies dotting them!

Such deplorable roads include: 1st Marine Gate and 3rd Marine Gate leading to Gbiaye Street, popular Enerhen Junction, Effurun Market, Apala Road, Mcaiver Roadabout, Oilfield road, Uti road, NNPC Housing Complex Road and PTI Road by Masoje Junction.

Others are Jakpa Junction, Ogbemudia Road by Igbudu Market, Bazunu road by College of Commerce gate, Warri, NPA Expressway, especially by Ugbuwangue junction and Etuwewe road by Deco Road.

That most worrisome also is the deplorable state of the Warri- Benin Expressway by Adeje and Opuraja as well as Warri to Agbor being designated as federal roads.

 That besides, most nooks and crannies of Warri, Effurun and environs have become a displeasing enclave of filth as indiscriminate refuse dumps by residents have taken over various parts of the metropolis, blurring the aesthetic value of the oil-rich area and putting the people at the risk of imminent epidemics and other health challenges.

That Congress equally expressed its displeasure at the perennial darkness pervading most streets in Warri and Effurun as most street lights installed by the past administration have gone bad and need urgent attention. The situation has gradually ushered in criminality especially at dusks as hoodlums now take the advantage to waylaid and dispossess people of their possessions.

 That more worrisomely emanating from the darkness is the ignoble extermination of nightlife in Warri and environs as residents, for fear of rampaging hoodlums, now take hurried cover as soon as dusk approaches.

That Congress, therefore, appeal to the Delta State government to expedite action in liaising with the federal government to fix the Warri/Sapele expressway and the Warri-Agbor road, among others, now that the rains had receded.

That Delta government should resume work at the discontinued expansion of the Effurun-Sapele road linking Enerhen to alleviate the suffering of the people.

That the state government should synergize with Warri South, Warri South West, Udu and Uvwie local government to fix the aforementioned deplorable street roads, restore moribund streetlights, engender a more permanent solutions to regularly ridding the area of filth as well as restore streetlights in Warri and Effurun as soon as possible.”

The union added that henceforth, “NUJ Warri Correspondents’ Chapel will keep a tab on progress of work as regards governments’ developmental activities across the state with a view of putting government on its toes and rendering constructive criticisms where necessary.”