WHERE ARE THE MOTOR-ABLE ROADS IN EDO STATE? By Osazee Edigin

The average Edo man assumes he understands politics howbeit towards political party inclination and sympathy; I have painstakingly and carefully paid keen attention and assess certain areas of developmental strides of the current administration and realized that what has been sold to the people over the years is carcass founded on propaganda and window dressing. Yes! Propaganda and window dressing, the political class has always taken advantage of the gullibility and sensibility of the people to hoodwink, persuade and deceive same. When this current administration came on board, it was a great sigh of relief that, another political party is now in charge hence the needed development would soon be feasible, the people failed to realize that the architects and actors of the new party (ACN then) are one and same from the defeated party (PDP), they also fail to take into cognizance that political parties in Nigeria are not ideologically based but interest based, looking cursorily at the antecedents of politicians in their various political maneuvers, one will see that, same actors have defected from and to the two major political parties at one time or the other.

The Lucky Igbinedion led administration has received several knocks from the Edo people owing to the belief and expectation that Adams Oshiomhole government is the magic wand that will transform the state to an enviable position but what has been seen in recent times has not been able to convince many of any clear cut distinction between the two administrations in the area of motor-able roads in the state. The focus of this piece is to appraise the current administration of Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole in the area of the provision of motor-able roads in the 7years of managing the affairs of Edo state thus far. Benin City is the capital of Edo state and the administrative headquarters of the state, our focus will be on roads in Benin City metropolis which include, Oredo, Egor, Ikpoba Okha and parts of Ovia North East Local Government Councils respectively. An attempt will be made to critically do a thorough x-ray on each of the identified roads that have been rehabilitated, asphalted, abandoned etc.

It should be noted that this is not juxtapose the administration of Lucky Igbinedion and that of Adams
Oshiomhole in a bid for comparison but to remind ourselves of the high expectations from this current administration since inception, this is not also to say the administration has not fared well in certain areas of development but to critically evaluate it in the area of motor-able roads in the state.
Thanks to the rains that have actually aided in the exposure of the quality and strength of our roads.
Let’s start off by looking at the following roads;
1. SAPELE ROAD:
This is a trunk A road, it connects Edo state with Delta state and other states as well, failed portions are Third Junction Roundabout, Santana Market area, Country Home Junction, Ekae community
area, these failed portions force motorists to slow down.
2. SOKPONBA ROAD:
It falls under Trunk A road, failed portions are Ist East Circular Junction, 2nd East Circular Junction, area around the Ministry of Urban Development former Edo State Property Authority (EDPA), Third
Junction axis; from that point close to the Bye-pass is relatively motor-able.
3. AKPAKPAVA ROAD:
Trunk A road too, the road is motor-able except little failed portion few meters to the Ramat Park roundabout.
4. BENIN - AUCHI ROAD:
Trunk A road, failed portion include areas around INEC office, Court of Appeal other areas include areas close to Big Joe Motors and other few bad spots in Idun-owina axis. The road was awarded by the previous PDP led government at the eve of the elections.
5. BENIN-AGBOR ROAD:
Trunk A road too, this road connects the eastern part of Nigeria, there are some few failed portions along the road before Agbor park and areas close to the PPMC (Depot) but can still be fixed with little materials.

6. AIRPORT ROAD:
I can’t categorize this road as it leads to some tributary rivers that ultimately steeped into the Atlantic Ocean, the Road was constructed by Adams Oshiomhole’s administration and was awarded to two
different construction companies at different times till it was finished, the total amount expended on the project is another debate for another day. The road terminated at the River Ogba with a tiny
bridge that has been standing there before this administration, there are well over 30 communities after the bridge that do not have access to motor-able roads, such communities as Evbodia, Ulemon,
Evbovbioba, Evbokhai, Umegben, Uholor etc.
7. EKEHUAN ROAD:
I can’t categorize this road as it also leads to some tributary rivers that ultimately steeped into the Atlantic Ocean, it was single-handedly constructed by a businessman, the owner of Ojemai Farms
during Lucky Igbinedion’s administration ever since government has paid little or no attention to the road. Failed portions include area covering UNIBEN and Garrick Memorial School fences, Agho
Junction, Erediuwa Junction, Asoro slope, area around The Blessed Assurance Church, Utagban Junction area, 1st and 2nd Powerline areas, Patifin Junction area, Leadership School and Integrity
School Junction area, Deeper Life Bible Church Junction area, The NNPC mega station area, and another bad spot before Oghede Community. The present administration made attempt to fix the
road after incessant protests from residents of the area that led to the assault of military personnel by the irate youths.
8. MISSION ROAD:
The road is motor-able up to New Benin market, the Upper Mission axis is in a very deplorable state, several vehicles break down on that axis due to the bad state of the road, sometimes ago, work
was going on, and the reason for the abrupt stop is unknown, one side of the road from a certain point was tarred till Aduwawa axis leaving the other side unattended to.
9. MEDICAL STORES ROAD:
This road is in a deplorable state, the road is not presently worthy of any vehicle to ply on.
10. OKHORO ROAD:
Failed portion include Federal Road junction, areas close to Universal road Junction, areas before the police station.

11. AKENZUA ROAD:
there are a few potholes that slows down traffic most times, areas around Brother Pius School and before the traffic light at Airport Road.
12. PLYMOUTH ROAD:
This is where the famous Plymouth Brown Bread or Nosakhare Bread started its journey, this is the same road where the Oba Palace is located, it is in a very bad shape, every 50 meter is hell for motorists, right from Ehaekpen Junction all the way to Oba Palace gate.
13. EHAEKPEN ROAD:
This is another bad road in the metropolis, it connects to the Five Junction that this administration did a masterpiece with, it is speculated to be named after the demised Queen of the Oba of Benin, Queen Esther Erediauwa. This road from the Ekehuan Axis all the way to Five Junction Axis has failed, the
potholes has the capability of removing vehicles’ tyres if care is not observed in maneuvering through them.
14. SILUKO ROAD:
Some part of this road was attended to at the inception of this government, the area around the defunct Sizzlers eatery was in a terrible state till this administration fixed it, the road is still under construction from Teachers’ House axis all the way down, the point for termination of the road is unknown but from the Textile Mill road junction has been left unattended to making it a bumping ride through.
15. IBIWE-ISEKHERE ROAD:
This two inter-connected roads is in the heart of the city, they accommodate so many businesses, this is the area you see so much concentration of the dealers in Rug carpet and general interior decorations. These roads connects straight to the Oba market which still stands as the largest market in the state, passing through this roads gives the impression that, government is no longer sensitive to the plight of the people most importantly, visitors you usually use that road to connect to the city centre.
16. IST EAST CIRCULAR ROAD:
The Stretch from Sapele Road to Akpakpava has some failed portions that need attention, first, is the little failed portion around First Bank of Nigeria Plc, by Sokponba Road (the traffic light point), Somewhere close to St. Joseph Catholic Church, areas close to Mobile Filling Station, areas close to Virginia Junction, Igun Junction (close to the NNPC station). This road is fast dilapidating and needs
urgent attention.
17. 2ND EAST CIRCULAR ROAD:
This road has been put out of use for a very long time till recently when this administration is presently reconstructing it from the Akpakpava axis, the road houses the famous New Market where
the low income earners can patronize fairly used clothes and shoes. Apart from the few meters the construction has taken effect other parts are a nightmare to motorists, it appears work has stopped
presently for reason unknown.
18. MURTALA MOHAMMED WAY “3RD”:
This major road stretches from Sapele Road roundabout to Akpakpava Street, from the Sapele Axis, one could encounter a failed portion around Bight Engineering, Third Junction area, (close to Mobil Filling Station), Ogiso Junction Area. The third junction potholes are very terrible, this point is close to a market that service a large population around St. Saviour, Upper Sokponba and other communities in that axis.
19. 2ND CEMETERY ROAD:
This road has never been attended to by this administration, it stretches all the way from Ehaekpen through to several communities, as a matter of fact, there is a gulf somewhere on the road that
vehicles cannot cross, and that point has been taken over by very grown weeds for years now.
20. ERHUWUNSEE ROAD:
The deplorable state of this road makes it to have very light traffic activities, the road has several potholes and washed away asphalt making motorists to consider other routes. The road suffers from terrible flooding when it rains.
21. EVBUOTUBU ROAD:
This road braches off from Ekehuan road by the slope, the residents of the area get dirty from the red mud that the road generates when it rains, it is one of the worse roads in the state, few days ago
residents of the area embarked on a massive protest to draw the attention of the state government to their plights. There is no single point one can enjoy a smooth drive along the road and all adjoining streets.

Time and space will fail me to point out roads in the state capital and the exact spots that have failed, among others are;
1ST UGBOR, ADESUWA ROAD, AKHIONBARE STREET, BOUNDARY ROAD, IHAMA ROAD, OKO CENTRAL ROAD, IKPOKPAN ROAD, FORESTRY STREET, UWELU ROAD, TEXTILE MILL ROAD, ADOLOR, VINCENT AGENMONMEN ROAD, ETETE ROAD, EREDIUWA ROAD (SAPELE ROAD), ST. SAVIOUR ROAD, UWA ROAD, IGBESANWAN ROAD, IGUN STREET, EVBIEVBEN STREET, WIRE ROAD, RING ROAD (ROUND ABOUT), OGBELEKA STREET, ARUOSA STREET, ERIE STREET, OKO CENTRAL ROAD, IRHIRHI ROAD, AMAGBA ROAD and several others that cannot be remembered for now, you can add yours to the list. You all have a right to agree or disagree with the facts presented above please do not turn it to a theatre of insult to the poster or any political party as far I am concern all political parties in Nigeria are one and same. The elections are around the corner, we will soon start to hear both PDP and APC soliciting for votes and promising to fix all the roads in the first year. When are we going to grow beyond the provision of motor-able roads for the people as campaign promise?

By Comrade Osazee Edigin.
princeosaz2001@yahoo.com