By Hezekiah Ovedhe
Publisher/Editor-in-chief, PebNews, an online medium, Comrade Paul Bebenimibo has called on the Delta State Government under leadership of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori to rehabilitate Sapele/Eku/Abraka/Obiaruku/Abavo/Agbor Road which has been in deplorable condition.
This is contained in a press statement signed and made available to newsmen by Comrade Paul Bebenimibo,PhD. According to him, the deplorable state of the road has affected and still affecting the social and economic life of Deltans. According to Human Rights Activist, the high cost of agricultural products in the Nigeria which Delta forms a part coupled with the high cost of transportation in the state is as a result of the bad road.
He also attributed the state of insecurity of the state to the bad nature of the road just as he said the bad road has affected education as two notable universities in the state namely: Delta State University,Abraka and University of Delta, Agbor are affected as both staff and students of the institution find it difficult to go to school.
Comrade Bebenimibo,Ph.D, who said he is an advocate of Good Governance said, he is a regular user of the road saying, although, the road is a Federal one, it is not out of place for state government to effect repairs of the road as it would help to boost economic and social life of the people.
He said, the Governor himself would also benefit from the road if it is rehabilitated adding that, before the road got to this stage, it was also used by the Governor himself because, it shorter route to his (Governor’s) hometown in Okpe Local Government Area.
Part of the statement reads:”The road is dilapidated and unpassable now. I know that the road is a Federal road, which the Federal Government has purportedly worked on in the last 12 years or more. However, this road is right in the middle of Delta State, cutting-across eight Local Government Areas, including your local government area, Okpe”…Even you, Mr Governor, have used this road from Asaba to Osubi, your home town and vice-versa, because it is shorter to use from Asaba to Osubi juxtaposed to wherever you use today”.
According to Comrade Paul Bebenimibo, PhD, who is a Lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Delsu, Abraka, opined that, the relevance of the road can not be emphasized as other people who also benefit from include: Ika South, Ika North East, Ukwani, Ethiope East, Sapele and Ughelli North Local Government Areas. According Comrade Bebenimibo, Ph.D,he is a member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and has served as a Board member of the immediate past Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) between 2019 and 2023 and he worked for emergence of Governor Oborevwori in 2023.
Comrade Bebenimibo,PhD, said, the mere fact that Governor could construct fly-overs on a Federal road in Warri and Effurun, he has no excuse not to rehabilitate the road which is very useful to Deltans. He called on the Governor to approach President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to allow him work on the road just as he urged him to emulate his counterpart Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State who took over the rehabilitation of 70 kilometres Lagos to Abeokuta Expressway.
Comrade Bebenimibo, Ph.D also urged Governor Oborevwori to emulate former Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyensom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory that constructed 12 fly-overs on Federal roads in Rivers State to ease traffic in the South-South state. He said the Governor should do well to act by his electioneering campaigns in 2023 that he do well for people when he emerged as the Governor as that would create a fertile ground for him to come back as Governor come 2027. He prayed for God’s protection, guidance and blessings for Governor Oborevwori’s as he rules the state.