By Sir Ralph Okhiria
Respite seems to be very far away from users of the many dilapidated federal roads in Edo State. Some of the roads where motorists spend several hours to navigate the stretch of bad portions of the federal roads include but not limited to the Benin-Ekpoma – Okene road; Benin-Warri road, Benin-Lagos road and Benin-Asaba road.
Besides wasting many valuable hours on these roads which could be better described as death traps, uncountable accidents are occurring daily in these roads, resulting in the untimely death of hundreds of motorists/passengers as well as the destruction of inestimable properties.
Concerned Nigerians have never ceased blaming the federal government, especially the Edo state government for their insensitive to the plight of the Nigerians navigating through Edo state to other neighbouring states.
The concerned Nigerians were of the expectations that the Edo state government ought to intervene on the behalf of the federal government by rehabilitating the portions of the bad roads and thereafter gets reimbursed by the federal government. And for this reason painting Edo state government black.
But the state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, perhaps very disturbed by the developments, on Wednesday at the premises of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Benin City, lamented the poor state of federal roads across Edo State.
The governor who was on an unscheduled visit to the NUJ secretariat, sadly revealed why his government cannot rehabilitate collapse portions of federal roads across the state.
Obaseki disclosed that the confusing policies and procedures put in place by the Federal Government as regarding repair of its (Federal Government) roads have made it absolutely difficult for any state government to embark on repair of federal roads.
“We are in a very difficult situation in Edo. Our hands and legs are tied and they say we should run because the only government people know is their state government.
“Federal policy relating to its road is very confusing. In the past, we could go as a state, rehabilitate and go and give the Federal Government the bill and say we have carried out palliative on your roads, please refund, and we would get the refund.
“At a point, they said state can only apply and take over those roads, but I am yet to see the state they have given federal road to repair”, he posited.
Governor Obaseki lamented that previous attempts by the state government to carry out palliatives measure on a federal road in the state were frustrated.
He disclosed: “I will give you an example. Auchi-Ibilo road was so bad, contractors were not mobilised there, so we say we want to carry out palliative measure on the road, but they said no. They said it is a federal road and that the road has already been given to a contractor. What do we do in this kind of situation?
“Even when I said I want to fix Benin-Sapele Road now, I am not allowed to. Because first, it is not our road, and secondly the Federal Government feels they have already given out the road to contractors.”
He regretted that Edo people are being unfairly treated by the Federal Government, claiming that “probably because of their political stance”, noting clearly that Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians, hence the need for everyone to be treated fairly.
“We are all Nigerians. So, it is only fair and proper that the Federal Government treat Nigerians like human beings. Treating us the way we are being treated in Edo State, as if we do not belong to this country, it is really, really unfair. You don’t have to vote for a government for the government to care about you alone, we are all Nigerians.
“It is like you have no one to talk to on these bad roads. When you call the federal road controller, he will say he is in Abuja. It is like no body care in Abuja. Because we come from Edo, they don’t care about us, they don’t like us, if they do we will know.”
The governor further told the NUJ members that despite what detractors were saying and doing, his administration has performed very well and has delivered many quality dividends of democracy to the people of the state, noting that “just that we don’t like making noise about it.
“They said Obaseki is not doing anything, we have not seen anything he has done, but I want to tell you that we have done so much, and very soon we will be rolling out our works. We are concerned about the next generation of Edo. How do we ensure our children have the best education.”
Obaseki who eulogized the NUJ chairman, Comrade Festus Alenkhe, for the ongoing transformation in the Edo secretariat of the union, stated that Comrade Alenkhe is replicating the kind of transformation his government is doing in Edo State particularly in public and the civil service.
“Congratulations, Mr. Chairman. The amount of improvement I saw here, I am proud of you. I am proud of you because you have taken the kind of transformation we are taking as a government”, he said.
Comrade Alenkhe, had earlier commended the governor for the surprised visit to the NUJ secretariat.
He also thanked Governor Obaseki for his support for the union, especially for providing constant electricity light to the NUJ secretariat through the the Ossiomo Power Company.
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