As Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike goes bullish in executing an infrastructural revolution by constructing flyovers to ease traffic and boost economic productivity in the state, a former Caretaker Committee Chairman of Rumuwoji Community, Ike Wigodo has called on him to intervene and save the failing portions of the Isaac Boro Flyover.

The flyover was constructed in the mid-70s by the Federal Government under the leadership of the then Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, during the administration of the first Governor of Rivers State, Flt. Lt. Alfred Diete-Spiff, who is currently the Amanyanabo of Twon Brass in present day Bayelsa State.   

Wigodo, who gave Governor Wike thumbs up on his achievements in the area of infrastructural development and urban renewal, said that the State Chief Executive has done well.  

“On road construction and rehabilitation, I raise my thumb for (Governor) Wike. He has done well in those area.”

Ike Wigodo, who is the Secretary of the Rivers State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), noted that though Ikwerre Road, of which the flyover is a part of, was a federal road, the State Government has done a commendable job in rehabilitating it.

“The state government has done quite a good job, beginning from Education busstop down to Mile 4, although, that portion of the road (Isaac Boro Flyover) is a federal road.”

He pleaded with Governor Wike to intervene to save the flyover from collapsing and causing avoidable mayhem there, stressing that “we expect that the state government should help and work on it. It is a plea.”

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Commuters utilizing the road have described the gaping expansion joints on the popular Isaac Boro Flyover at the Mile 1 area of Port Harcourt as a disaster waiting to happen.

Terrified residents and traders in the area are worried that unlike the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos that was already receiving the attention of the Federal Government without the situation getting this bad, the Isaac Boro Flyover was yet to be noticed let alone attended, pointing out that the loosening expansion joints was an impending death trap to commuters.

Efforts to reach the Rivers State office of the Federal Ministry of Works and the Rivers State Commissioner for Works proved abortive as at the time of this report.

Head of Digital Content Generation at Kristina Reports, Clement Udom, who was at the location of the failing expansion joints for an on-site assessment, described the current state of the road as an impending danger given its proximity to the popular makeshift Railway Market taking into account the population density of the area.  

“The flyover showed signs of drifting by about four inches and appears to be shifting. Surprisingly, people were still selling their goods under it, driving by it and carrying out several other activities as though all was well, and without knowing the implications.”

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“Two traders who spoke to me on condition of anonymity while selling their wares directly under the flyover said that the base of the flyover (the pillars) was bad before but after some reinforcement by an unknown construction company working around there at that time it became worse. They said the job was done by Nigerians who were supervised by some white guys.”

From Kristina Reports’ findings, the Rivers State Government is likely to shut down that section of the flyover in the coming days to effect overdue repairs on it given the reluctance of the Federal Government to intervene on the failing Isaac Boro Flyover.

A source close to the State Government who asked not to be mentioned, however, hinted that “the Governor is passionate about easing the sufferings of Rivers people, so I think he may want to do something about it.”

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He added that given the urban renewal bent of Governor Nyesom Wike, there was the high probability that he would order the State Ministry of Works to engage Julius Berger Nigeria Limited to speedily effect repairs on the flyover.  

Concerned stakeholders are however worried if Wike would go ahead with the repairs against the backdrop of the recent directive of President Muhammadu Buhari discouraging State Governments from embarking on federal projects.