By Nwafor Okafor
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Anambra State Council, has decried the bad condition of roads in the state and urged the state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, to do quick and repair them.
The pen pushers stated this in a communique endorsed by its state chairman, Dr Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, and made available to journalists in Awka, the Anambra State capital on Thursday.
Stating that roads in the state were in terrible condition generally, the union asked the governor to at least begin palliative works on roads in Awka and environs.
The communique read partly,”The Congress(NUJ) condemned the existence of numerous potholes on the major roads and the adjoining roads in Awka especially Nodu – Goodwill junction, Y-junction – UNIZIK, among many others, and urged the Governor
Chukwuma Soludo-led government to do the needful by carrying out palliative work on the damaged portions of the roads to save residents from further suffering.
“The Congress frowned at the continued heavy gridlock on the River Niger Bridge due to the attitude of transporters picking up passengers on the Onitsha Bridge and called on the government to intervene to end the anomaly.”
The union urged the state government to strictly enforce the ban on roadside touting in the state especially at Upper Iweka, Onitsha where it said touts had devised various means to rob and extort unsuspecting victims.
While commending the state government’s efforts to reduce
crime rate in the state, even as it lauded the joint efforts of the security agencies
at tracking and arresting some of the perpetrators of killings, kidnappings and other violent crimes in the state, , the union expressed dismay over the threat posed by criminal gunmen to workers in some local government headquarters in the state including some journalists who had got series of threat messages from hoodlums and arsonists notifying them of likely attacks on their stations.
Calling on the government to expedite efforts to ensure safety of workers at the LG council headquarters, the Congress frowned at the reluctance of the
security agencies and the state government to the media updated on their successes in fighting crime and insecurity, hence leaving
journalists with no option than to report more on the attacks by gunmen than on successes of security agencies.”
The communique further stated ,”The Congress further condemned the rascality of Keke and Shuttle drivers who have continued to disrupt the free-flow of traffic along the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, notably around the Regina Caeli junction, UNIZIK Temporary site, and the Aroma Junction.
“The congress called the attention of the state government to the heaps of refuse constituting nuisance at different corners of the state, urging it to urgently take action in this regard.
“The Congress frowned at the lackadaisical attitude of some INEC officials and reported extortion of Nigerians registering for voter’s cards at different of the state by the
officials of the commission”.
