Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Ambassador Godknows Igali, has issued a scathing indictment of the Federal Government's infrastructure policy, declaring that the South-South region—the nation's economic backbone—has been reduced to a state of "crisis" due to the deplorable condition of its federal roads. Speaking against the backdrop of the horrific state of the Benin-Agbor-Asaba Road, where motorists have been stranded for days amid severe gridlock, Igali lamented that the Federal Government's continued neglect of the region's infrastructure was breeding bitterness and alienation among its people.
"We are the goose that lays the golden egg, but that goose has almost been starved," Igali declared. The PANDEF chairman recalled that about a month ago, he had held a press conference in Abuja to lament the Federal Executive Council's approval of N3.9 trillion for 27 major road projects across the country—none of which were in the South-South. He noted that of the 26 projects covering 15 states, the only one remotely connected to the region was the road linking Cross River and Benue states, which received just N86 billion out of the nearly N4 trillion allocation.
"I never said the President should only concentrate on one part of the country, even if we are the revenue base of the nation," Igali said. "We only demand, and rightly so, to be treated with fairness and equity". Painting a grim picture of the region's road network, Igali detailed the ordeal facing travellers daily. On the Benin-Sapele-Warri corridor, he said motorists at Mosogar can spend up to three or four hours navigating a single stretch. The once 40-minute journey from Warri to Sapele now takes two to three hours, if travellers can find passable routes at all. The East-West Road, he said, "has become a metaphor for failed projects".
Contractors are present on many sections, Igali acknowledged, but work has slowed to a crawl due to payment issues and logistical challenges. On the Calabar route, about 60 per cent of the road has been completed, but the remaining portion is in such bad shape that even the finished sections are deteriorating because contractors are not on site to properly complete the work. "It is becoming almost impossible to connect within the South-South," Igali lamented.
The PANDEF chairman cited the recent fifth coronation of the Olu of Warri as a stark example of the crisis. Many guests were stuck for hours on the road; some turned back at Sapele, while others abandoned their journey at Oghara because they could not reach Mosogar. "Our people are not happy. They may not say it out of respect, but people are very bitter and sad," Igali said.
In his most pointed criticism, Igali called for a review of the competence of contractors handling federal roads in the South-South. "There are contractors that are not working. The Ministry of Works has to go back and review the competence of those people doing these jobs," he declared. His remarks come as the Minister of Works, David Umahi, recently apologised to commuters over the Benin-Sapele road crisis and ordered the arrest of contractors responsible for the project. Umahi accused the concession company, BAECC, of "failing woefully" and lacking the technical knowledge to handle the job.
The consistent pattern of neglect, Igali warned, is a sad reminder that all major ports in the area—Calabar, Onne, Port Harcourt, and Warri—are virtually abandoned with no plan in place for their rehabilitation, modernisation, or upgrade. Describing the situation as a typical demonstration of "starving the goose that lays the golden egg," Igali said the continued relegation of the Niger Delta fuels feelings of systemic alienation and disenchantment. "The people of the Niger Delta therefore call on Mr. President to look into this matter with a view to reversing the situation, bearing in mind that the Niger Delta region is the revenue base of the country," he said.
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