Reps adopt Ukodhiko’s motion seeking repair of Warri-Benin highway

By Ejiro Umukoro

The House of Representatives on Thursday urged the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to effect repairs on failed sections of the Warri-Benin highway.

The House also called on the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to deploy more secutity men to the road to protect citizens from being attacked.

The House made the call at plenary following the unanimous adoption of a motion moved by member representing Isoko North/South Federal Constituency, Hon. Jonathan Ukodhiko and seconded by member representing Ovia Federal Constituency, Hon. Dennis Idahosa.

In the motion titled “Urgent need to repair and rehabilitate failed sections of Warri-Benin Road”, Ukodhiko called on the House to direct relevant Federal Government agencies to effect repairs on the failed portions of the road.

Ukodhiko said the motion had become imperative following the suffering of motorists and commuters, particularly Deltans, plying the Warri-Benin motorway.

He said the deplorable state of the road had become a death trap for motorists and a source of perpetual fear to commuters and people living around the areas as a result of criminal activities.

The prayer of the motion was amended by Hon. Nwobi to extend the rehabilitation work to the Port-Harcourt axis of the road.

The motion was adopted by the House and referred to all the relevant House committees for further action.

He called attention to the deplorable sections of the ever-busy Warri-Benin federal road stretching from Sapele through Oghara to Ologbo and its attendant effects on the road users who depend on it for their different daily activities.

The Warri-Benin federal road is a major gateway to one of Nigeria’s major Refineries, the Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company, and depots where petroleum products are distributed to other parts of the country.

In addition, the Warri-Benin expressway remains the shortest route for commuters travelling from the South-South geopolitical zone of the country as far as, Cross Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Edo states to the South West and by extension, Lagos, the economic hub of the country, as well as, the northern part of the country.

Hon. Ukodhiko noted that the failed sections of the Warri-Benin federal road at Sapele, Oghara and Ologbo towns in Delta and Edo States have increased the travel time of the commuters because of the gridlocks caused by the bad roads from 1 hour to 5 hours and even up to 10 hours and sometimes days especially the articulated vehicles that are unable to manoeuvre the gridlock to deliver goods and services.

The unplanned extension of travel hours has adversely affected businesses, especially those that deal in perishable goods like tomatoes and pepper that lose quality and value before getting to their various destinations. Most disturbing is the fact that most of these items do not get to their desired destination as some of these articulated vehicles fall into the bad spots, thereby emptying their contents on the roads.