Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has blamed the federal government for the collapse of major roads in the state, especially the deplorable state of the Benin-Sapele Road where his convoy was reportedly trapped as a result of flooding.
The accusation came after viral videos emerged on social media showing the governor’s convoy struggling to wade through the flooded road.
With the video came a lot of criticism by many Nigerians who accused Obaseki and the Edo government of neglecting critical infrastructures in the state.
But Obaseki, while addressing journalists after the monthly Security Council meeting held in Government House in Benin City on Sunday, said the federal government should be held responsible for the deplorable state of roads in the state.
He said his administration had done everything in its power to appeal to the federal government to look into the repairs of the wide span of damaged federal Roads in Edo to no avail.
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The governor also noted that the federal government’s policy relating to roads in the state was very confusing, adding that in the past, states could rehabilitate federal roads and give the federal government the bills, but that is no longer obtainable.
“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,” the governor said.
“I was on Sapele Road recently. After the heavy downpour, the road was impassable. What is going on in Benin-Sapele road is scandalous. I don’t think that any region where the oil resources that sustain the country come from should be this neglected. We have done everything possible. We don’t know what to do again to draw the attention of the federal government to these roads.
“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.