Women Protest Against Poor Road Conditions in Delta

Residents of Orhuwhorun community in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State staged a peaceful protest over the deplorable condition of their local road and the absence of essential infrastructure.

The demonstrators, largely women, marched through the community holding signs that read, “Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Remember Orhuwhorun‑Owhrode,” “Fix the Orhuwhorun‑Owhrode Access Road,” “The Orhuwhorun‑Owhrode Road is Not Motorable,” and “Orhuwhorun‑Owhrode Needs Government Attention.”

They urged Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to intervene urgently, arguing that the road’s poor state has caused severe hardship, higher transportation costs, and has impeded economic and social activities in the surrounding areas.

During the protest, a High Chief from the community, Oghale Ighodakpo, stated that the demonstration was solely intended to bring the government’s attention to the residents’ plight.

He said the prolonged neglect of the Orhuwhorun‑Owhrode Road has continued to inflict economic hardship on residents, traders and businesses in the area and neighbouring communities.

Ighodakpo urged the state government to prioritise the road’s reconstruction and rehabilitation, describing it as critical to the socio‑economic development of the region.

The Vice Chairman of Orhuwhorun Community, Chief Cyril Onojeghuo, said the road has become a major obstacle to commerce and daily life, affecting traders, workers, students and motorists who depend on it for transportation.

The women’s leader in the community, Mrs Victoria Ashakpoke, described the road’s condition as unbearable, noting that residents pay exorbitant transport fares because many commercial drivers avoid the route due to its swampy and dilapidated state.

According to her, the road serves as a critical link between Orhuwhorun, Owhrode and other surrounding communities, but years of neglect have made movement difficult for residents.

“The daily challenges we face in accessing neighbouring communities are painful. Due to the poor state of the road, we pay double transportation fares because no commercial transporter is willing to pass through the swampy road. Our economic activities, essential services and the overall well‑being of our people are being affected,” she said.