By DADA AYOKHAI
The Edo state chapter of the All Progressive Congress, APC, has given assurances on the readiness of the APC -led federal government to begin restorative work aimed at addressing the worsening situation of federal roads in the state
Incessant public outcry and lamentations have trailed the deplorable state of virtually all the federal roads in the state, especially the Benin- Auchi, the Benin – Sapele road as well as the Benin- Asaba road. All of these roads are in very terrible conditions
However, the Edo State chapter chairman of the party, Col David Imuse (retd), has risen in defence of the federal government, giving assurances that restoration works would soon commence on these roads to alleviate the sufferings of the commuters .
Col. Imuse made the disclosure in Benin, while addressing the press
Recall the torrid experience of the Edo State governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, penultimate week, along the flooded Sapele road.
The governor’s convoy was trapped on the flooded road and the video about the nightmarish encounter of the governor and other road users went viral.
This episode sparked a major row between the state and the federal government over the poor state of federal roads in the state.
Governor Obaseki placed the blame squarely on the federal government, insisting that even when his administration sought for approval to rehabilitate some of the deplorable federal roads in the state, the federal government refused to bulge, stressing the state was left with no choice as a result.
Reacting to the scathing remarks of the governor about the deplorable state of federal roads in the state, Col. Imuse, in a statement entitled “The last kick of a dying horse”, accused Gov Obaseki of gross misapplication of the state resources as well as the failure to think outside the box.
In addition, Col. I’m use described the governor’s virtuperations as an exaggerated fiction to “score cheap political points” and to deflect away rom the failures of his administration
Assuring citizens of Edo State of the seriousness of the APC-led federal government in tackling the infrastructure gaps facing the state, Col. Imuse enjoined them to resist the “propaganda and the game of deceit” employed by the Obaseki administration.
In particular, he said, “We understand the pains and the frustrations our citizens face daily as they commute on these roads and I will want to assure them that a lasting solution is in the horizon. The roads got worst because the state governor is not proactive. While his colleagues who repaired the bad federal roads in their domain were later reimbursed, Gov Obaseki sat back and did nothing until the roads deteriorated and became completely impassable”
“The federal government has prioritized the federal roads in Edo State and very soon repair works will commence on them.
Col. Imuse also accused the state government of profligacy and challenged it to account for the billions of naira it has received from the federal government between 2016 and last year
Pointedly, he demanded for accountability on how the state government utilized the huge funds given to her by the federal government.
Citing some instances, he asked to know what the state government did with the N16bn refund it received from the federal government being refunds for the amount spent on the repair of federal roads by his predecessor.
He also cited the over N21bn derivation windfall as an oil bearing state, adding that at the end of the day Gov Obaseki displayed complete ineptitude in the management of these huge windfalls .
He surmised by equating Obasekis lamentations to the last kick of a dying horse and urged Edo people to see through this mischief and hold the state governor liable for any failure that may have occurred.
