The Igbo Community Association, Abuja, has urged the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to urgently rehabilitate major federal highways linking the South-East with other parts of Nigeria ahead of the Yuletide season.
The association expressed concern over what it described as the deplorable condition of federal roads connecting the South-East to the South-West, North-Central and South-South regions.
It said the poor condition of the roads had resulted in severe traffic gridlock, vehicle damage, loss of lives and increased security risks for motorists and other travellers.
The group cited the Benin-Agbor-Asaba corridor as a major example of a critical route that had deteriorated significantly.
“Despite initial public pushback and political friction when concerns were raised over this route, recent events and public outcry eventually led the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, to inspect the corridor and offer an apology to stranded motorists for the severe hardship caused by the failed sections,” the association said.
The group acknowledged the minister’s recent intervention but said the situation reflected a broader problem of neglect of major routes leading into the South-East.
It said the Federal Ministry of Works should prioritise immediate rehabilitation of the affected roads as the Yuletide approaches, when millions of Nigerians are expected to travel across the country.
“As the Yuletide season approaches—a period characterized by high-volume travel across the country—it is imperative that the Federal Ministry of Works prioritizes immediate rehabilitation of these federal corridors,” the group stated.
According to the association, repairing the roads would help reduce avoidable road crashes and improve the security of travellers.
It also called on the Federal Government to ensure fairness and equity in the distribution of national infrastructure projects across the six geopolitical zones.
“South-Easterners are equal stakeholders in the Nigerian project and deserve safe, accessible, and functional federal road networks,” it said.
The association reaffirmed its commitment to advocating infrastructure development that would benefit the South-East and the country as a whole.
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