Former Nigerian Ambassador to Norway, Sweden and Denmark, Godknows Igali, has criticised the Federal Government over the deteriorating condition of major roads in the Niger Delta, saying the reality on the ground contradicts claims of progress by the Minister of Works, David Umahi.
Igali, who spoke during an interview with Africa Independent Television on Thursday, expressed particular concern over the East-West Road and the Benin-Asaba corridor.
The former envoy said his frequent travels had given him firsthand experience of the region’s roads, making it difficult for him to reconcile what he sees with statements from the works minister.
“When I listen to the Minister of Works sometimes, I feel like breaking my television. Because I move around every time. I had to come in from Port Harcourt to be able to have this conversation with you. And the roads are not there,” Igali said.
He said the condition of the East-West Road had deteriorated so badly that journeys that once took less than an hour now require several hours.
“Even so-called East-West Road is not in order. You can’t go from Sapele to Warri. It used to take us 40, 45 minutes. Today it takes about three hours from Sapele to Benin. One hour now takes about three or four hours,” he said.
Igali also pointed to recent protests by residents and commuters over the poor state of the Asaba-Benin road, describing the demonstrations as evidence of the frustration among road users.
“And the other day, just last week, we saw people demonstrating that the road from Asaba to Benin is so bad. And people came out demonstrating,” he said.
He argued that the situation was particularly troubling given the Niger Delta’s enormous contribution to Nigeria’s economy and revenue.
“So the roads, and this is where the money comes from, it is the height of injustice,” Igali said.
According to him, people in the region are not demanding preferential treatment but simply fairness in the distribution of infrastructure.
“We are not asking for more than we should have. We are just saying be fair, be equitable, be just, be fair to all such people,” he said.
The former ambassador further noted that Nigerians were becoming more politically conscious and increasingly willing to demand accountability from government officials.
“Our people are watching. Our people are watching,” he said.
“No, people are now wiser. They are reasoning, they are wiser. The political bandwidth is now wider for people to reason and participate.”
Igali’s comments came amid renewed controversy over the Benin-Asaba Expressway, following protests by youths and commuters over severe gridlock and the deplorable condition of the major route.
The Federal Government subsequently intensified efforts to address the crisis, with Umahi inspecting the highway and blaming the concessionaire for removing more than 30 kilometres of asphalt without providing adequate replacement.
The government later began moves to terminate the concession, while President Bola Tinubu ordered the complete reconstruction of the affected highway.
