Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has accused the federal government of Nigeria of being responsible for the poor condition of the Benin-Sapele Road, where his convoy was recently stranded.
The convoy was shown in a video posted on social media straining to cross the waterlogged road. After the video went viral, Obaseki came under fire for what many saw as the government’s failure to solve the infrastructure gap.
Although Edo State is a major hub for transportation, the governor expressed concern about the state’s major Federal Road network’s poor condition in a press conference following the monthly Security Council meeting held in Government House in Benin City, the state capital.
He stated that his administration has done everything possible to urge the federal government to consider repairs for the extensive stretch of damaged Federal Roads in Edo.
Obaseki stated that his administration had brought the failing sections of the Benin-Auchi Roads, Benin-Sapele Road, and the Benin-Lagos Road, particularly the Ovia River Bridge, to the notice of the Federal Government but that nothing had been done as of yet.
According to him, “Look at the incident that happened in Ovia River Bridge three weeks ago, in which we lost several lives following multiple accidents. Nothing has been done till now. This shows they don’t care about us in the State.
“The issue on the Benin-Lagos Road, particularly the Ovia River Crossing is becoming catastrophic. We have lost a lot of lives and done everything to get the Federal Government and the Federal Ministry of Works to work with us and put in place a palliative measure to stop the carnage on that road.
“I was on Sapele Road recently. After the heavy downpour, the road was impassable. What is going on in Benin-Sapele road is scandalous. I don’t think that any region where the oil resources that sustain the Country come from should be this neglected. We have done everything possible. We don’t know what to do again to draw the attention of the federal government to these roads.
“The Auchi-Ibillo Road was so bad that some of our contractors couldn’t go to their quarry site. We appealed to the Federal Government to do palliative work on that road but they refused, saying the road is under contract. If I want to do the same to Benin-Sapele Road, I am not allowed to do so. They claim the road has been given out to a contractor.
“Last year, the Benin-Auchi Road was locked for about two weeks as food, animals, petroleum products could not reach their destination. We don’t want such situations this year so they should help us. We are not here to criticise them but to appeal for help.”
The governor noted that the federal government’s policy relating to these roads is very confusing, noting that in the past, states could rehabilitate Federal roads and give the Federal Government the bills, but that is no longer obtainable.
“At a point, they said we can apply and take over the repair of federal roads but I am yet to see a state they have given Federal roads to fix,” he noted.