South-South roads are death traps – Idjerhe Monarch
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By Akpokona Omafuaire
The Paramount Ruler of oil-rich Idjerhe Kingdom, His Majesty King Obukowho Monday Arthur Whiskey (JP+), Ph.D, has raised alarm over the deplorable state of roads across the South-South region, describing them as “death traps” endangering lives and crippling economic activities.
Speaking at his palace in Idjerhe, Ethiope West Local Government Area, Delta State, the monarch lamented that successive governments have failed to address the poor road infrastructure, despite the region’s significant contribution to the nation’s economy.
According to him, the dilapidated roads, riddled with potholes and erosion gullies, have become scenes of frequent accidents, loss of lives, and destruction of goods in transit.
He cited major federal and state roads linking Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Edo, and Cross River States as examples of critical arteries now in ruin.
“We no longer have roads in South-South Nigeria. What we have now are not motorable roads, they are death traps,” he said.
“The South-South produces the wealth of this nation through oil and gas, yet our people are left to travel on roads that are nothing short of graveyards,” the traditional ruler fumed. “Truck drivers, traders, and even emergency services risk their lives daily. This is unacceptable.”
The monarch criticized contractors along the Benin-Warri route, citing the Ologbo project as an example. “Go to Ologbo, the contractors are just rigmaroling in one spot for 3 years now, they’ve not moved.
“If they finish one side, they put up a barricade, and you expect all the trucks from Northern and Western Nigeria heading to the South-South to squeeze through? It’s unacceptable,” he said.
Udurhie I urged the Federal Government, state governors in the region, and relevant agencies to urgently embark on reconstruction and rehabilitation projects, warning that continued neglect would worsen insecurity, poverty, and rural-urban migration
He called on the Federal Government to utilize the short dry season window in the Niger Delta to fix the most dangerous portions of the roads. “Some of these failed sections are just 2km or 3km long. What does it take a reasonable government or contractor to fix them?” he queried.
He also appealed to multinational oil companies operating in the region to invest in road infrastructure as part of their corporate social responsibility, noting that good roads are key to improving commerce, healthcare access, and social development.
Despite the state of things, King Whiskey expressed optimism about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership but stressed the need for deliberate action.
“I know that the government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu means well for this country. But in meaning well, we desire special attention in the South-South,” he said.
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