The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, was stranded on the RCC Junction on Sapele Street in Benin, Edo State after heavy rains flooded the highway and made it impassable.
A video of the incident that occurred on Friday is trending on-line with a voiceover urging viewers to share the video to indicate that it is payback time for leaders who fail to take the required measures to assist the folks.
A background (male) voice stated, “Once we instructed the federal government to repair the highway, they had been busy filling the potholes with damaged blocks. They assume they’re struggling the lots. Now could be the time to return, as a result of the lots should not the one ones affected by the collapse of this highway.
“The governor is the one within the automobile, however it stopped transferring. That is his automobile (pointing to it), he cannot get out as a result of he is ashamed. Everybody (each poor and wealthy) feels the burden of unhealthy politics within the nation,” he added.
After a while, the convoy was seen transferring away from the flooded a part of the highway.
Nonetheless, Governor Obaseki stated the state authorities can not intervene within the restore of the Benin-Auchi and Benin-Sapele roads as a result of the federal authorities has awarded contracts to restore them.
The governor stated it was a matter of concern that the primary federal highway networks within the state, which join a number of elements of the nation, had been in poor situation.
He famous that his administration has achieved every thing in its energy to attraction to the Federal Authorities to look into repairing the wide selection of broken federal roads in Edo State.
Obaseki added that his administration has drawn the Federal Authorities’s consideration to the failed sections of Benin-Auchi roads, Benin-Sapele highway and Benin-Lagos highway, particularly the Ovia River bridge, however nothing has been achieved but.
He stated: “Have a look at the incident that occurred on the Ovia River Bridge three weeks in the past, the place we misplaced a number of lives after a number of accidents. Nothing has been achieved thus far. This exhibits that they don’t care about us within the state.
“The issue on the Benin-Lagos highway, particularly on the Ovia River crossing, is changing into catastrophic. Now we have misplaced loads of lives and now we have achieved every thing potential for the Federal Authorities and the Federal Ministry of Labor to cooperate with us and introduce a palliative measure to cease the carnage on the highway.”
On the highway to Sapele, he stated: “Just lately, I used to be on the highway to Sapele. After a heavy downpour, the highway was impassable. What is going on on the Benin-Sapele highway is scandalous. I do not assume we must always ignore any area the place the oil assets that maintain the nation come from. We did every thing potential. We do not know what to do once more to deliver the federal authorities’s consideration to those roads.”
“The Auchi-Ibillo highway was so unhealthy that a few of our contractors couldn’t go to their quarry. We appealed to the Federal Authorities to do palliative work on that highway, however they refused, saying the highway was beneath contract. If I wish to do the identical for the Benin-Sapele highway, I’m not allowed. They declare that the highway has been given to the contractor.
“Final 12 months, the Benin-Auchi highway was blocked for about two weeks as a result of meals, animals and petroleum merchandise couldn’t attain their vacation spot. We do not need this type of state of affairs this 12 months, so you must assist us. We aren’t right here to criticize them, however to attraction for assist.”
The governor famous that the federal authorities’s coverage concerning these roads may be very complicated, noting that previously, states might restore federal roads and invoice the federal authorities, however that’s now not potential.
“At one level they stated we will apply and take over the restore of federal roads, however I’ve but to see a state that they gave federal roads to restore,” he famous.