The House of Representatives has emphasized the need for the Federal Government to embark on the reconstruction of the Warri-Sapele-Benin Road and Sapele-Amukpe to Agbor road in Delta State.
This followed the adoption of a motion by Rep. Oberuakpefe Anthony Afe and Rep. Ben Rolands Igbakpa, titled Need to Reconstruct Warri-Sapele-Benin Road and Sapele-Amukpe to Agbor Road in Delta State at plenary on Tuesday.
The lawmakers noted that the importance of road infrastructure in socio-economic development cannot be over-emphasized, hence the need to reconstruct the parlous Warri- Sapele-Benin road and Sapele-Amukpe to Agbor road that serves Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers States with other South-South oil-producing States in particular and Nigeria generally.
The major road of about 104.5km distance was constructed 27 years ago and is the most preferred route for articulated vehicles used for oil and gas haulage operating from Delta State to other parts of Nigeria, the lawmakers noted.
According to the lawmakers, similar roads in the country that are not as important as the Warri-Sapele-Benin Road and Sapele-Amukpe to Agbor road constructed within the same period have undergone rehabilitation while Warri-Sapele-Benin Road and Sapele-Amukpe to Agbor road, through which the country derives its source of wealth, is left in a total state of disrepair.
Disturbed by the sufferings of the people plying the road and cries of loss of man-hour as a journey of one hour now takes about eight hours due to the deplorable state of the road, thus paralyzing the socio-economic activities in the zone.
Though the road is a federal road and the Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has expended billions of naira to fix some affected portions of the road, but with the recent pronouncement by the Federal Government that directed States to stop intervening in the Federal roads has made the State to hands off road repairs, thus leaving the road in total disrepair, the lawmakers lamented.
More worrisome, according to the lawmakers, criminals have taken advantage of the deplorable state of the road to rob, kill and kidnap road users and motorists along the highways.
While the House, in its resolution urged the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to embark on the rehabilitation of the road, the Inspector General of police was also urged to deplore more Police Officers to the affected roads to protect citizens from being attacked.
House Committee on Works was mandated to ensure compliance.
