Asaba-Onitsha and Asaba-Illah-Ebu-Ubiaja Roads

Okolie Raises Alarm Over Collapsing Federal Roads in Delta State

Calls on Presidency, FERMA, and Ministry of Works to Act Urgently

By Our Reporter

Asaba, Delta State – A Patron of the United Igbo Elders Congress Worldwide, (UNIEC) and member representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ngozi Okolie, has raised fresh concerns over the worsening state of major federal roads in Delta State, describing them as “lifelines now failing at great human and economic cost.”

Speaking in a statement yesterday, Okolie highlighted three critical corridors — the Asaba-Illah-Ebu-Ubiaja Road, the Asaba-Onitsha Expressway, and the Okpanam-Asaba Highway — all of which he said have deteriorated into death traps despite repeated parliamentary interventions.

“These roads are not just infrastructure; they are lifelines that connect people, communities, and economies,” Okolie declared. “Yet today, they stand as stark reminders that government promises must be matched by decisive action. Each of these roads is failing, and each failure is costing lives, livelihoods, and national cohesion.”

Parliament Has Acted, But Situation Worsens

Okolie recalled how, between October 2023 and September 2024, he moved three separate motions on the floor of the House calling for urgent rehabilitation of the failing corridors.

On October 10, 2023, he urged action on the Okpanam-Asaba Highway.

On May 21, 2024, he pressed for immediate rehabilitation of the Ubiaja/Ebu/Asaba Road.

Most recently, on September 26, 2024, he raised the alarm over the Asaba-Onitsha Expressway.

According to him, the House debated and adopted all three motions, referring them to the Committees on Works, FERMA, and Legislative Compliance. However, he lamented that the resolutions have yet to translate into tangible improvements on the ground.

Human and Economic Toll

The lawmaker stressed that the road failures are exacting a heavy price on residents, commuters, and businesses.

Farmers, like Mr. John Anosike of Illah, said a journey that once cost ₦100 and took 15 minutes now costs three times as much, with produce often spoiling before reaching markets.

Transporters, such as Mr. Tony Onyemah, reported avoiding the route entirely during rains for fear their vehicles would sink into gullies.

Residents, including Mr. Steve Emina, said communities feel cut off and abandoned, while traders like Mr. Uche Gbemudu warned of looming economic collapse: “This is not just a local inconvenience; it is a national crisis. Each day, goods worth millions of naira are lost.”

Okolie also recounted a tragic accident in which 17 people, including a pregnant woman, were killed when a vehicle somersaulted after hitting a pothole.

A Call for Urgent Executive Action

While commending past presidential interventions in national infrastructure projects, Okolie urged the Federal Government to replicate such urgency in Delta State.

“The Federal Ministry of Works and FERMA should immediately deploy palliative measures — clearing blocked drains, stabilising failed shoulders, and resurfacing critical sections — to make the roads safe for use today. Simultaneously, the Presidency must publish a clear rehabilitation plan with named contractors, milestones, and timelines,” he said.

He noted that the Asaba-Onitsha road is a key national artery across the Niger Bridge, the Okpanam-Asaba highway links trade and services across Delta and neighbouring states, while the Asaba-Illah-Ebu corridor provides a shorter northern route to Abuja. Neglecting them, he warned, undermines growth, security, and integration.

“This Is the Time for Action”

Hon. Okolie concluded with a direct appeal to the Presidency:

“Parliament has done its duty. It is now the turn of the Executive and its agencies to show accountability. These roads must become symbols of responsive governance, not monuments of neglect. As a representative, I will continue to press because our people deserve roads that serve them, not ones that endanger them. This is the time for action.”