“They Take Our Oil, But Abandon Us To Die” — Akenfa Accuses NDDC, Bayelsa Govt Of 21-Year Neglect Over Death-Trap Bridge

By Passman Akpos

YENAGOA, BAYELSA — Residents of Akenfa Community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have renewed their call on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Bayelsa State Government and the Yenagoa Local Government Council to urgently intervene in the abandoned Akenfa Community Bridge, which they say has remained incomplete for about 21 years.

The community described the bridge as more than an abandoned infrastructure project, saying its prolonged neglect has subjected residents to serious hardship and exposed commuters to dangerous conditions, particularly during periods of flooding.

According to the community, the bridge project dates back to 2005 and was initiated through an agreement involving the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and Akenfa Community.

The residents said SPDC had fulfilled its financial obligations under the arrangement, while the responsibility for completing the project was subsequently left with the NDDC.

However, the community lamented that despite the passage of more than two decades, the bridge has remained unfinished.

The prolonged abandonment, residents said, has continued to affect movement in and out of the community, with flooding further worsening the situation.

They alleged that the difficult access routes have contributed to tragic incidents and loss of lives over the years, stressing that the bridge, which was expected to connect residents to economic and social opportunities, has instead become a symbol of prolonged government inaction.

‘WE ARE AN OIL-PRODUCING COMMUNITY, YET WE LACK BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE’

Akenfa Community also questioned what it described as the glaring disparity between the community’s contribution to Nigeria’s oil and gas economy and the level of infrastructure available to its people.

The community said it hosts nine oil wells, a flow station, gas lines and oil pipelines, yet residents continue to struggle with basic infrastructure, including a safe bridge, accessible roads and reliable electricity.

The residents questioned how communities that host critical oil and gas infrastructure can continue to experience severe infrastructure deficits decades after contributing to the nation’s economy.

They stressed that their demands were not for luxury projects but for basic infrastructure capable of protecting lives and improving access to education, healthcare, commerce and other opportunities.

2026 DEADLINE PASSES WITHOUT COMPLETION

The community said it had exhausted several avenues of appeal, including protests, meetings and direct engagements with relevant authorities.According to the residents, a peaceful protest held last year eventually resulted in a meeting with representatives of the Bayelsa State Government.

The meeting reportedly brought together the King of the Epie Clan, Paramount Ruler of Akenfa Community, Community Development Committee Chairman, Women Leader, Youth President and other stakeholders.

The community said assurances were given at the meeting that work on the bridge would commence in the first quarter of 2026.

However, with the first quarter of 2026 long gone, residents say the promised commencement has not materialised.

The situation, they said, has deepened frustration among community members who have repeatedly been asked to wait.

AKENFA DEMANDS NDDC INVESTIGATION

The community is now calling on the Managing Director of the NDDC to personally investigate the status of the project and determine why the bridge has remained abandoned for so long.

Among its demands, Akenfa is requesting an urgent site inspection, clarification of contractual responsibilities and immediate commencement of construction work.

The community also appealed to the Bayelsa State Government, Yenagoa Local Government Council, NDDC management, SPDC and other relevant stakeholders to work together to resolve whatever contractual, administrative or funding issues may be responsible for the prolonged abandonment.

Residents maintained that the issue should no longer be treated as another infrastructure complaint but as an urgent public-safety matter.

‘21 YEARS IS LONG ENOUGH’

For Akenfa residents, the central issue is simple: a community that has contributed to the nation’s oil economy should not have to wait decades for a basic bridge.

They said the bridge should provide a safe connection between the community and surrounding areas, rather than remain a source of danger.

The community therefore appealed to the NDDC and Bayelsa State Government to make 2026 the year the long-awaited project finally receives meaningful attention.

“The people of Akenfa have waited for 21 years—long enough,” the community said, urging authorities to act before more lives are put at risk.

The residents further stressed that those who have already lost their lives because of difficult access conditions must not have died in vain.

Akenfa Community deserves safe access, its people deserve development, and its children deserve a future beyond abandoned promises.