Ijaw leader and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently declare a state of emergency on roads in the South-South region.
In a letter addressed to the president on Sunday, Clark decried the deplorable state of roads in the oil-rich region, highlighting the immense hardship faced by residents and the adverse impact on economic development.
Clark’s appeal emphasized the need for prioritizing the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the region’s road network in the 2025 federal budget.
He described the state of the roads as unacceptable, particularly for a region contributing significantly to the country’s revenue.
“I am writing this passionate appeal to you to declare an EMERGENCY in the coming 2025 Budget and also direct your Minister of Works and its relevant agencies to redouble their efforts to repair these roads,” Clark wrote.
“The Niger Delta, the treasure base of the country, should be declared an emergency without further delay.”
The elder statesman expressed dismay that the Niger Delta, despite being the economic backbone of the nation, continues to suffer from decades of environmental degradation and infrastructural neglect.
He argued that the region, which produces approximately 1.8 million barrels of oil daily, deserves better treatment.
“At the current production level of 1.8 million barrels per day, and with oil prices at $73 per barrel, it is difficult to understand why the roads in our region remain in such a deplorable condition.
What is required to fix these roads is not even up to a week’s production of oil,” Clark stated.
He specifically cited the Benin-Auchi Road, which under normal circumstances would take 2½ hours to travel.
Due to its poor state, commuters now spend an average of seven hours navigating the road, with some forced to take detours through Ekiti State.
Clark acknowledged the challenges posed by limited resources and competing demands but insisted that the situation in the Niger Delta required urgent intervention.
“It is very difficult to understand why roads in the communities that produce the resources keeping this country going are in such a terrible state,” he said.
He urged President Tinubu and his administration to take decisive action to address the issue, stressing that an improved road network would alleviate the suffering of the people and bolster economic growth in the region.
This latest appeal by Clark follows his longstanding advocacy for justice and development in the Niger Delta.
It remains to be seen how the federal government will respond to his call for action.