Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The Henry Seriake Dickson Movement (HSD Movement), also known as the Ofurumapepe Movement, has criticized the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the deteriorating condition of federal roads in Edo State, describing the situation as a reflection of what it considers the government’s poor performance.
In a statement signed by the Edo State Coordinator of the movement, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbidi, the group alleged that the deplorable state of major federal highways leading into and across Edo State has inflicted significant hardship on residents, commuters, and businesses, disrupting movement and economic activities across the state.
It listed the Benin-Auchi-Okene-Abuja Expressway, Benin-Agbor Road, Benin-Warri-Asaba Expressway, and the Benin-Lagos-Akure Expressway as roads that require urgent government intervention.
According to the group, the poor state of these roads has disrupted economic activities, increased transportation costs, delayed the movement of goods, and contributed to rising prices of commodities.
It also claimed that the condition of the highways has worsened insecurity by creating opportunities for kidnappers and armed robbers to target motorists.
The HSD Movement accused the Tinubu administration of paying lip service to road infrastructure while failing to address longstanding challenges inherited from previous administrations.
It argued that despite several announcements, contract awards, and tax-credit road projects, many of the affected highways remain incomplete.
The group further alleged that the neglect of federal roads in Edo State could influence voting decisions in the 2027 general election.
It claimed that President Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) would lose the state against Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, insisting that Edo voters are dissatisfied with the current state of infrastructure.
The statement also criticized former APC National Chairman, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, noting that many of the roads were already in poor condition during his tenure as the party’s national chairman and, according to the group, have continued to deteriorate.
The HSD Movement called on the Minister of Works to immediately prioritize the rehabilitation and completion of all major federal road projects in Edo State.
It urged the Federal Government to move beyond promises and ensure that ongoing projects are completed to improve road safety, economic activities, and the welfare of residents.
The movement maintained that the lives and safety of Edo people should not be sacrificed for politics, stressing that urgent action is needed to restore confidence in the country’s road infrastructure.
