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The Senate Wednesday urged the federal government to prioritise the completion of ongoing road projects across the country instead of introducing new ones.
It clarified thatonly new roads that are absolutely necessary, including those required where floods have washed away existing roads or to provide access to underserved areas, should be considered.
Senate’s resolutions were sequel to a motion moved to that effect by Senator Tony Nwoye (Anambra North).
Presenting the motion, Nwoye drew the Senate’s attention to the deplorable state of the road, which links communities in Anambra state to Ndoni in Rivers state, and called for urgent government intervention.
He noted that the highway was partially constructed in the late 1980s but had suffered decades of neglect without any major rehabilitation.
He further noted that the deteriorating condition of the highway had significantly increased travel time, with a journey of approximately 70 kilometres from Onitsha to Ogbaru and Ndoni, which ordinarily takes about one hour, now taking nearly two hours.
The situation according to him, had resulted in higher transportation costs, loss of productive man-hours and disruption of commercial activities just as
he expressed concern that the continued neglect of the critical federal highway had adversely affected interstate commerce, agricultural value chains, regional integration and investment, undermining the federal government’s commitment to economic development, national connectivity and safe transportation.
He therefore warned that without urgent intervention, the deterioration would further endanger lives and property, impede economic activities, increase transportation costs and adversely affect oil exploration and production along the Ogbaru corridor.
Contributing to the debate, senators, including Isah Jibrin, Diket Plang and Samson Ekong, highlighted several abandoned road projects across the country.
They noted that completing the projects would significantly improve the movement of goods and services, as well as the living standards of people in the affected communities.
“The Calabar-Itu or Idukpani-Itu road, we need that road to be fully constructed and used by Nigerians,” one of the senators said, adding that “lives have been lost, serious pains inflicted on passengers and has affected economic activities in Aba-Ikot-Ekpene, Umuahia-Ekot-Ekpene road.”
In his contribution, Senator Adams Oshiomhole faulted the introduction of new projects by the Ministry of Works while many existing roads were suffering from inadequate funding and abandonment.
He was supported by Senators Ahmad Lawan, Adamu Aliero and Wasiu Eshilokun, who said “the ministry should be advised not to embark on new roads until the old ones are completed.”
In his remarks, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, agreed with Lawan, noting that some new road projects could not be avoided, particularly in areas affected by flooding.
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