Group exonerates FG, blames Delta, Edo govts

A group, Vanguard For Transparent Leadership And Democracy (VATLAD), has disagreed with Governors Sheriff Oborevwori and Godwin Obaseki of Delta and Edo states over their position following a tanker explosion at Koko junction, along Warri–Benin expressway Delta State on Sunday.

The accident happened between the Ologbo and Ugbenu communities of Edo and Delta states.

While the governors blamed the unfortunate incident on the poor state of federal roads, VATLAD, through its National President, Comrade Igbini, blamed Obaseki and the immediate past Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, for the loss of lives.

The condolence messages released by the governors of Edo and Delta states blamed the deaths and destruction of vehicles and properties on the Federal Government for allegedly not living up to its responsibility of maintaining the Benin-Warri road.

But Igbini said while it is true that the Benin-Warri Expressway is constitutionally the responsibility of the Federal Government, it is also a fact that the state governments could have fixed the failed portion of the road.

While saying there is no justification for them to allow the deaths of road users on any federal road in their respective states, he called on Oborevwori and Obaseki to deploy their contractors to fix all collapsed sections of the road and all other failed sections of federal and state roads in their states.

“It is also very important for me to remind Nigerians that it has remained the policy of the past and present federal government to always refund state governments that embark on maintaining or rehabilitating federal roads in their states and that Edo and Delta states governments have benefited from such refunds.

“What is even a fact is that former Governors Uduaghan Emmanuel and Adams Oshiomole, during their tenures, took up the responsibility of maintaining or rehabilitating this road and other Trunk A roads in their states for the sole reason of preventing loss of precious lives and properties.

“As the then Director General of Delta State Direct Labour Agency (DLA) with the Directive of then Governor Uduaghan, DLA and other contractors maintained and rehabilitated failed sections of this road and other federal roads in Delta State.

“What more! It is a fact that this Ologbo-Ugbenu section of the Warri-Benin road began to collapse again far back four to five years ago, with commuters and members of the communities crying out daily to the federal, Edo and Delta State governments for urgent interventions to save their lives.

“But rather than heed the calls, both then Governors of Edo and Delta states insisted it is the responsibility of the federal government, the same argument regrettably restated yesterday by governors of Edo and Delta states.

“They both must be reminded that their primary constitutional duty is the safety and security of people living in and transiting through their states; regular maintenance of all roads in their States is part of this constitutional duty,” he said.