Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki, has blamed the federal government of Nigeria for the deplorable state of the Benin-Sapele Road, where his convoy was recently trapped.
Politics Nigeria gathered that a social media user had shared a video of the governor’s convoy struggling to pass through the flooded road recently.
After the video went viral, the governor was heavily criticised over what many described as the government’s failure to address the state’s infrastructural deficits.
But addressing journalists after the monthly security council meeting held in Government House, Benin City, Governor Obaseki said as much as Edo is a transportation hub, it is concerned that the major federal road network in the state, which connects several parts of the country are in bad condition.
The governor noted that his administration had done everything within its capacity to appeal to the federal government to look into the repairs of damaged roads in the state.
Obaseki added that his administration had drawn the attention of the federal government to the failed portions of the Benin-Auchi Roads, Benin-Sapele Road and the Benin-Lagos Road, notably the Ovia River Bridge, but nothing has been done yet.
“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,” Obaseki said.
“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.”
Obaseki further stressed 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.
