A renowned peace, environmental and justice advocate in Delta State, Comrade Mulade Sheriff, PhD, has urged the Federal Government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to link up strategic locations in the Niger Delta’s coastal areas to the urban centers with viable bridges and road projects to open them to massive infrastructural development and to boost economic activities that will yield more revenues for the country.

Mulade’s call is coming on the heels of the FG’s unveiling of plans through the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, for a massive upgrade of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State, with a whooping N3.8 trillion already allocated to tackle the deep structural issues threatening the bridge’s viability

It would also be recalled that N21 billion had been spent earlier on emergency repairs of the bridge late last year, while another bridge in Lagos, the Carter Bridge, with similar structural findings to the Third Mainland Bridge indicated it is beyond repair and will cost N359 billion for a replacement, according to a recommendation from construction giant, Julius Berger.

According to Mulade, “While I commend the President Tinubu government for undertaking landmark projects including the recent allocation of N3.8 trillion to the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, why considering that, a significant project that will give sense of belonging to the people of the Niger Delta coastal areas, who continue to bear the brunt of oil and gas exploration and exploitation activities, should also be considered.

“For instance, a project such as the Warri-Gbaramantu-Escravos Bridge, the Forcados-Ogulagha Bridge, extension of Ayakoroma Bridge to land in Burutu Forcados Terminal, means most of the coastal areas including Odimodi, Izon-Burutu to Age, Obotobo, among others will easily open up to infrastructural and economic development,” he stated.

Speaking further on the recent allocation of N3.8 trillion by the federal government for the Third Mainland Bridge, Mulade, who is the Ibe Serimowei of Ancient Gbaramatu Kingdom, stated that while most of the funding for the project will come from oil revenues in the Niger Delta, the coastal areas which play host to the oil and gas industry and blue economy are deliberately neglected.

He said, “If this amount can be thrown into that project, then what is the fate of the people of the Niger Delta, where the oil and gas is being flared on a daily basis to generate not less than 80 percent of the amount that will go into that project?

“We agree Lagos has IGR that can run itself to a reasonable extent, but 80 percent of the fund will come from the oil revenue, of course, from the FEC, to construct that bridge.

“And we have been clamoring for a single road to even connect Escravos Terminal in Gbaramatu Kingdom area Delta State, which is an economically viable end, because of the Escravos Terminal, but nothing has been done. We also clamoured for Burutu hosting the Forcados Terminal and one of Nigeria first seaports, still none. Even Brass, it is the Bayelsa State government that took the bull by the horn to construct that bridge, and we pray that he will be able to complete it,” he added

Mulade further alleged that governors in the region who are none Ijaws are deliberately neglecting the development of the coastal areas largely occupied and dominated by the Ijaws but their actions continue to keep the people in poverty, hardship and deliberate neglect.

“I feel the non-Ijaw governors in the region are deliberately depriving us of significant developmental projects which is our rights in Nigeria but they refusal to execute people oriented and impactful projects in the coastal areas with life transforming development as they plan to lure investors to do business in their own areas (upland) while leaving our people shortchanged, forcing them to migrate to upland for education, health, business and development.”

He therefore appealed to the Tinubu government to change the narrative by opening up the coastal communities in the region to attract more investors, to create jobs, offer opportunities for wealth creation among other benefits he said are yet untapped because of the lack of affordable transport Infrastructures.