The Ogoni apex socio-cultural organisation, KAGOTE, has strongly criticised the Federal Government for what it describes as the premature and misleading commissioning of the uncompleted Eleme section of the East-West Road.
In a statement issued in Port Harcourt, KAGOTE accused the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, of deliberately misinforming President Bola Tinubu into believing that the critical stretch of road had been completed.
President of KAGOTE, Mr. Emmanuel Deeyah, described the incident as a betrayal of public trust, saying it was wrong for a high-ranking government official to manipulate facts and mislead the nation’s leader.
“We are shocked that the President was made to commission a road that is still very much under construction. This is not just an oversight—it is a calculated act of deception,” Mr. Deeyah stated.
A State House press release dated May 31, 2025, and signed by Presidential aide Bayo Onanuga, had listed the dualisation of the East-West Road Section II—from Eleme Junction in Port Harcourt—as a completed project under the Tinubu administration.
But KAGOTE insists the claim does not reflect reality on ground.
Mr. Deeyah urged independent verification of the site, insisting that the road remains in a deplorable state. He added that genuine commitment to the project’s completion would not only boost economic activities in the region but also reassure the Ogoni people of the government’s sincerity.
“We are not asking for favours; we are demanding what is due. The Ogoni people deserve better,” Deeyah said.
