By Christian Chime
It is shameful that major roads in the heart of oil producing states such as Delta and Edo are in a sorry situation with government leaving road users and residents of the areas wondering if actually they are part of Nigeria.
The Auchi-Abuja road which leads to Delta State, especially from Uromi-Ubiaja leading to Asaba, the Ebu-Illah Road roads are critical arteries linking various major cities in Edo, Delta, the entire South-South and South-East to the rest of the country, have totally collapsed.
Also, the Ubiaja Ewohimii road that leads to Onicha–Ugbo, Asaba-Benin Expressway has been totally cut off while the Uromi- Igueben road leading to Agbor is also write off.
It is so ridiculous that the federal government is paying deaf ear to the cries of the people despite the huge mineral resources contributed by the region to the nation’s coffers. The Benin-Sapele Road that leads to Warri and Port Harcourt is another issue.
I am using this medium to call the attention of President Bola Tinubu to urgently address the issue of deplorable roads doting the landscape of these oil rich states, either through the Federal Ministry of Works, Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) or Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA).
The Bridge that connects the Uromi-Illah- Asaba at Ebu has been cut off.
The federal government must hear the cry of the people as the 2027 election is at the corner which will affect the All Progressives Congress candidates within this zone negatively if ignored. What will be the basis for our dear party, APC, to campaign with in these states? Trucks carrying oil products, cement from Okpella, where we have Dangote Cement Company, BUA cement company, quarry products (granite chipping materials), livestocks and other agricultural products suffer more on the roads. The Agbor–Abavo-Urhonigbe road that leads to Umutu, Abraka is also bad.
Senators Joseph Ikpea- (Edo Central) Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North), Neda Imasuen (Edo South), Ned Nwoko- (Delta North) Ede Dafinone (Delta Central), Joel-Onowakpo Thomas (Delta South) and the chairman NDDC, Chiedu Ebie and the minister Niger Delta Ministry, Abubakar Momoh must act very fast to ensure the ugly situation is remedied
The suffering is visible from Benin City to Asaba. Articulated trucks are stuck for days. Commercial drivers spend more on repairs than on fuel. Farmers watch perishable goods rot in traffic. Students miss exams. Patients die in ambulances that cannot navigate the craters.
The situation became so dire that it forced the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, to make an emergency visit to Edo State over the weekend. His inspection confirmed what road users have been shouting for years: the roads are in a deplorable state and require urgent intervention.
The President should act decisively now to save the situation as “Nigerians voted for Renewed Hope and not renewed potholes,” said one of the drivers in Benin. He should not allow people to sabotage his second term ambition with such ignominable performance in the name of concession.
*Chime is the MD, Chuzinx Construction Company
No comments:
Post a Comment