By Simon Ebegbulem

BENIN—THERE was tension yesterday at the Edo State House of Assembly, as protesting youths from Egor Local Government Area of the state, pelted members of the state House of Assembly with water sachets over the bad state of roads in their areas.

The youths complained that the roads at Ewotubu, Egbuadiake and Ekenwa were no longer motorable, accusing the member representing Egor constituency in the state House of Assembly, Mr Crosby Eribo, of alleged neglect of people of the area.

Tension heightened when the Deputy Speaker of the House, Bright Osayande, and Mr Eribo came to address them.The over 1,000 youths attacked them with water sachets and pebbles ,forcing the police to intervene.

Efforts made by the lawmakers to address the irate crowd were frustrated for over 30 minutes until the police warned the protesters to either listen or be forced to leave the Assembly complex.

However, Eribo appealed to the youths to be calm, saying: “We must recognize that this is rainy season and we are aware that immediately after the rains, the state government will commence work in those areas where our people are suffering as a result of flood. We must all be patient because that is the reason the state government embarked on the N30 billion Benin water project and we have to channel the flood to the designated site before proper construction of roads can commence in some areas. These are the challenges we are facing right now. I want to appeal that rather than attack lawmakers, let us be patient. We have a governor that listens and understands the problems of our people. I can assure you that work will commence very soon in the affected areas.”