S’South cheated in road projects, PANDEF tells Tinubu

The Pan Niger Delta Forum on Friday accused the Federal Government of shortchanging the South-South in the recently approved N3.94tn road infrastructure programme, urging President Bola Tinubu to address what it described as the region’s continued neglect.

The group said the South-South was largely excluded from the 25 road projects approved by the Federal Executive Council on Monday despite its strategic contribution to the nation’s economy.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, PANDEF National Chairman, Godknows Igali, commended Tinubu for prioritising infrastructure but expressed disappointment over what he described as the poor allocation of projects to the Niger Delta.

The demand followed Monday’s approval by FEC for the construction of 25 road projects worth about N3.94tn across 10 states.

The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, had told State House correspondents after the meeting that the approvals covered the N1.832tn Mokwa-Tegina-Bida-Lambata Road in Niger State, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway concession, and 23 other road projects across Adamawa, Taraba, Ebonyi, Kwara, Cross River, Kogi, Lagos, Niger, Oyo and Plateau states.

However, Igali stated that only one of the approved projects directly affected the region despite years of infrastructure deficit.

He said, “While commending President Bola Tinubu and his cabinet on this commitment towards the physical infrastructure of the country, we in the South-South lament the fact that our region has again been grossly shortchanged with a very insignificant allocation of projects from this humongous sum.

“It is indeed troubling and shocking that out of the 26 major projects, covering 10 states, the only one nearest to the South South is the road connecting Benue State with Cross River State at the sum of N886bn, with absolutely no allocation for any other road that runs through major parts of the South South.

“For a part of the country that has continually suffered inexplicable infrastructural decay, this state of affairs has resulted in the inability of the citizens of the region to connect by road easily. This is very disturbing and totally unacceptable to the people of the Niger Delta.”

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The former diplomat also criticised the slow pace of work on the East-West Road and the state of major ports in the region.

“Even the East-West Road, which has become a metaphor for a failed project, is still being carried out at a snail’s pace, with no reasonable work going on, despite assurances of speedy completion by the Minister of Works.

“This consistent pattern is a sad reminder that all the major ports in the area, including Calabar, Onne, Port Harcourt, and Warri, are virtually abandoned with no plan in place for their rehabilitation, modernisation, or upgrade,” he argued.

PANDEF warned that the continued neglect of the region could deepen feelings of exclusion and alienation.

“The above situation is a typical demonstration of the infamous inference to ‘starving the goose that lays the golden egg’. Undoubtedly, such continued relegation of our people creates feelings of systemic alienation and disenchantment.

“The people of the Niger Delta therefore call on Mr President to look into this matter with a view to reversing the situation, bearing in mind that the Niger Delta region is the revenue base of the country.”

The group also reassured the Federal Government of its commitment to supporting national economic growth through increased oil and gas production.

“Finally, PANDEF would like to seize the opportunity to reassure the Federal Government that the people of the Niger Delta will continue to create the right enabling environment for enhanced contribution to national economic development and growth, especially through increased oil and gas production,” he noted.