By Onu Okorie

Former Nigerian Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Power and former Ambassador to Norway, Sweden and Denmark, Amb. Godknows Igali, has challenged claims by the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, that significant improvements have been recorded on roads in the Niger Delta.
Igali, who spoke in an interview with Africa Independent Television (AIT) on Thursday, expressed concern over the condition of major highways in the region, particularly the East-West Road and the Benin-Asaba corridor.
The former ambassador said his frequent travels had given him firsthand knowledge of the condition of the roads, making it difficult for him to reconcile the situation on the ground with assurances from the Ministry of Works that major road projects were being addressed.
“When I listen to the Minister of Works sometimes, I feel like breaking my television. Because I move around every time. I had to come in from Port Harcourt to be able to have this conversation with you. And the roads are not there,” Igali said.
He singled out the East-West Road for criticism, noting that journeys that previously took less than an hour now require several hours because of the deteriorating condition of the highway.
“Even so-called East-West Road is not in order. You can’t go from Sapele to Warri. It used to take us 40, 45 minutes. Today it takes about three hours from Sapele to Benin. One hour now takes about three or four hours,” he said.
Igali also cited recent protests by residents and commuters over the condition of the Asaba-Benin road, describing the demonstrations as an expression of growing frustration with the state of the highway.
“And the other day, just last week, we saw people demonstrating that the road from Asaba to Benin is so bad. And people came out demonstrating,” he said.
According to him, the condition of roads in the Niger Delta is particularly disturbing given the region’s contribution to Nigeria’s economy.
“So the roads, and this is where the money comes from, it is the height of injustice,” Igali said.
He maintained that residents of the Niger Delta were not seeking preferential treatment but were demanding equitable provision of infrastructure comparable to what is available in other parts of the country.
“We are not asking for more than we should have. We are just saying be fair, be equitable, be just, be fair to all such people,” he said.
The former ambassador further argued that Nigerians were becoming more politically conscious and increasingly willing to demand accountability from public officials.
“Our people are watching. Our people are watching,” he said.
“No, people are now wiser. They are reasoning, they are wiser. The political bandwidth is now wider for people to reason and participate.”
Igali’s comments come amid renewed concerns over the Benin-Asaba Expressway, following protests by youths and commuters over severe gridlock and the deteriorating condition of sections of the highway.
The Federal Government has responded to the crisis, with Umahi inspecting the road and blaming the concessionaire for removing more than 30 kilometres of asphalt without providing adequate replacement.
The government subsequently began moves to terminate the concession, while President Bola Tinubu ordered the total reconstruction of the affected highway.
The controversy has continued to fuel public debate over the pace of road rehabilitation in the Niger Delta and the broader question of whether infrastructure provision in the region adequately reflects its economic importance to Nigeria.