The Federal Government, weekend, tasked traditional, community and religious leaders in the Niger Delta to pacify the youths in their areas to stop kidnapping expatriates working with firms handling the dualisation of the East-West Road project.
Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, while flagging off the construction of the Okoso Bridge on Section II of the road, expressed concern over the criminal activities of youths, who indulged in kidnapping of workers from the project site.
The Okoso area is the notorious portion on the East- West Road, which was washed away by flood last year, making the road impassable.
Work on the bridge, which was billed for completion this month, was, however, delayed due to the kidnapping of some expatriates from the project site.
Elder Orubebe said: “The last time we visited here, we had a lot of armed soldiers and it is under this condition, these people work. You can see that the Chairman/ Managing Director of Setraco is here with us. I spoke with him, appealing that they should return to site.
“I just discussed with him and promised that with the security network being put in place, this bridge will be put to use in July this year.”