Elder statesman and Niger Delta leader Chief Edwin Clark has urged President Bola Tinubu to give priority to the state of roads in the South-South in the 2025 budget.
Clark stated this in an open letter to the president entitled ‘Please Declare State Of Emergency On The Roads In The South South Of The Country In Your 2025 Budget.’
The Niger Delta leader, in the letter made available to LEADERSHIP, conceded that resources are lean, and demands are many, but noted that it is difficult to understand why roads in the communities that produce the resources that keep This country is going to be in such a terrible state.
Baring a change of plans, the President is expected to present the budget to the National Assembly this week.
“As leader of the people of the South-South, I have no choice but to write to you on this matter of critical importance and pain to me and my people. This is to bring to your attention the terrible state of roads and links within the South-South zone from which the revenue of this country comes.
“I am particularly shocked that the team we sent out was led by the National Chairman of PANDEF, Ambassador (Dr.) God knows Boladei Igali and members of the National Executive to attend the funerals of the late National Chairman (Worldwide) of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Nwanyanwu, former Senate President, Dr Joseph Wayas and the late wife of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor (Mrs.) Kemi Eno had to travel by road and brought a very worrying state of affairs on the roads.”
He listed some of the roads that need attention, including Benin-Auchi Road, Benin-Uromi-Sapele Road, Sapele-Warri Road, Port Harcourt-Owerri Road, Uyo-Itu-Calabar Road, Calabar-Obudu Road, and The East-West Road.
“It is already very sad that the Niger Delta is suffering from decades of environmental damage which would take us many generations to recover from. So, to imagine that we cannot commute among ourselves and that our region produces billions of dollars daily to the national coffers is challenging to fathom. At the current production level of 1.8 million barrels per day, which we, the leaders of the region working with the government, have achieved and are still working to increase, it is difficult to understand why the roads in our area should be in this deplorable condition. With oil prices now at US$73 per barrel, we reckon that we are producing enough, and we in the Niger Delta cannot be in this condition.
“What is required to fix the roads is not even up to a week’s oil production.
“I am writing this passionate appeal to you to declare an EMERGENCY in the coming 2025 Budget and also direct your Minister of Works and its relevant agencies to redouble their efforts to repair these roads. Mr. President, we therefore demand that in 2025, this situation of the Niger Delta, the treasure base of the country, should be declared an emergency without further delay.
“Let me assure you of my fatherly blessings and hope that you will stamp your name in the annals of Nigeria’s history by correcting this state of unfairness being meted out to the people of the Niger Delta,” he said.