Group Alleges Negligence of Warri/Effurun/Sapele Road by Gov Oborevwori and Politicians

The Initiative For Social Rights Concerns And Advancement (ISRCA), also known as “No Justice, No Peace,” has accused Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and other political actors in the Niger Delta region of neglecting the Warri-Effurun-Sapele-Benin expressway for years.

In a statement sent to Nigeria News 247 and signed by ISRCA National Coordinator Derrick Oritsematosan Agberen in Warri, the group said it does not hold President Bola Tinubu responsible for the road’s poor condition, emphasizing that regional leaders who regularly travel the route have failed to address its deplorable state.

ISRCA lamented the general lack of well-maintained roads in the Niger Delta, the country’s main crude oil-producing region, accusing those in power of neglect.

“How can a federal road connecting two major oil-producing states be in such a deplorable state, while the governors of these states publicly praise the APC government, seemingly driven by their re-election ambitions in 2027?” the statement read.

“In Western and Northern Nigeria, such neglect would be unimaginable, as demonstrated by the chronic deterioration of the Warri/Effurun/Sapele/Benin expressway over the years.”

The group urged the Federal Government to prioritize the rehabilitation of the expressway, insisting that it should not only be motorable but among the best roads under federal jurisdiction, given the region’s critical role in Nigeria’s economy.

“It should not be optional to invest in this road, especially while funds are being allocated to other projects such as new roads that lead nowhere and the costly renovation of the Third Mainland Bridge,” ISRCA added.

The statement also called on key figures such as Senator Engineer David Nweze Umahi, Minister of Works, and Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo to give urgent attention to these roads.

“The Benin/Warri Expressway connects the heartbeat (Edo) and the big heart (Delta) of Nigeria. Its rehabilitation should be a priority alongside efforts to tackle crime and cultism in the region,” the group said.

ISRCA further appealed to Governor Oborevwori to address the deteriorating Benin/Sapele expressway and warned that alternative routes through Aziza community and Sapele Amukpe road are quickly worsening.

“It is crucial to restrict heavy vehicles, tankers, and trucks from these communities as they exacerbate road damage. Rehabilitating the Benin/Sapele road would not be prohibitively expensive,” the statement concluded.