Senator Adams Oshiomhole has accused the Minister of Works, David Umahi, of neglecting critical federal road projects in Edo and Delta states, urging the Senate to intervene and ensure a more equitable distribution of road infrastructure across the country.
Speaking during plenary, Oshiomhole expressed concern over what he described as the deteriorating condition of major highways linking Edo and Delta states, despite the Federal Government’s approval of several new road projects.
According to the former Edo State governor, motorists continue to face severe hardship on key routes, including the Benin–Warri, Benin–Asaba, Benin–Auchi, and Auchi–Okene highways, which he said have become increasingly difficult to navigate.
He questioned the rationale behind approving new road projects while many existing federal highways remain in deplorable condition.
“The Minister of Works needs to be guided. We have several roads that have become virtually impassable, yet attention is being shifted to new projects instead of fixing the old ones,” Oshiomhole said.
The senator further alleged that the sections of federal roads connecting Edo and Delta states have repeatedly been excluded from the national budget over the past three years, despite earlier appeals by lawmakers.
While acknowledging President Bola Tinubu’s intervention through the approval of tax credit arrangements for some road projects, Oshiomhole maintained that the Ministry of Works had failed to give the affected roads the attention they deserve.
He appealed to the leadership of the Senate to prevail on the minister to adopt what he described as a fair, balanced, and national approach to road infrastructure development, insisting that no part of the country should be overlooked in the allocation of critical federal projects.
