Clark Frowns At Deplorable Roads In South -South

By Georgina Humphrey 

Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pay attention to the deplorable conditions of roads in the South-South of the country.

Chief Clark made the call while briefing newsmen in Abuja.

The Leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF while reacting to the recent petroleum tanker explosion that occurred in Koko junction along Benin-Sapele highway that claimed about 20 lives, destroyed vehicles and property stressed that the dilapidated state of the roads speak volumes of the calamity the people of the region faced daily.

“The state of the roads and other critical infrastructure in the Niger Delta Region equally leaves a sour taste in our mouths, the East-West road region remains an ugly stain on Nigeria’s political administrative logic, especially for something considered as a signature project because of its economic significance” he added.

Pa Clark explained that in the last eight years no substantial construction work had been carried out on those roads noting that sections of the supposed rehabilitated roads were washed away by the 2022 floods due to poor standard of work.

“However the connection between Rivers and Bayelsa states has four major sections which collapsed during the 2022 floods and has remained unrepaired, such that a journey of one and half hours between both states now take over three hours” Pa Clark stated.

He appealed to President Tinubu not to deprive, neglect and marginalize the people of the region knowing fully that the region singularly produces the bulk of the nation’s wealth.

“We see the impact of the Natural resources that is daily taken out of our soil here in the Federal capital Territory and almost every other part of the country and the region wallow in total neglect.” He emphasized.

The Leader of PANDEF further explained that in the last three consecutive months women and youths along the Benin- Asaba axis have demonstrating on the road blocking passers-by from using the roads.

“The roads from Benin to Asaba is equally in a terrible state beyond description as well as the road from Benin- Auchi which has repeatedly come up in the National Assembly, yet nothing has been done to address the situation”.

The Elder statesman who urged the federal government to rehabilitate roads in the Niger-Delta region explained that about $333 million US dollars was released by the past administration for the Bodo-Bonny road project.

“And if one may ask, what is the status of the $333M Bodo-Bonny road project expected to open opportunities for rapid socio-economic development of the areas, even with a reported contribution of US$ 167M by the Nigeria Liquified Gas”.

Chief Clark who appealed to President Tinubu to take the whole country as his constituency as promised by delivering the dividends of democracy also urged leaders from the region to reduce the pains encountered by people of the region.

Edited By Grace Namiji