Public affairs commentator Chief Sunny Onuesoke has called for the concessioning of the Benin–Sapele Highway, appealing to the federal government and the governors of Edo and Delta states to act urgently. He described the road as a strategic economic lifeline linking Edo and Delta states, critical for businesses, commuters, and transporters in the South-South region. Onuesoke said the highway's deterioration has led to longer travel times, frequent accidents, vehicle damage, and higher transportation costs. These issues, he noted, are undermining economic activities and affecting traders, farmers, and industrial operators who rely on the corridor.
He recommended a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, stating that private investment could ensure sustainable rehabilitation, expansion, and maintenance. "The Benin–Sapele Highway is too critical to the economic survival of Edo and Delta States to be left in its present condition," Onuesoke said. He urged the Edo and Delta state governors to set aside political differences and jointly lobby the Federal Ministry of Works to fast-track the concession process. While acknowledging federal responsibility for the road, he emphasized that residents and businesses in both states bear the immediate consequences of its poor state.
Onuesoke stressed the need for transparency in selecting concessionaires, warning against awarding the project to firms lacking technical or financial capacity. He called on community leaders and transport unions along the corridor to support efforts to revamp the highway. Fixing the road, he added, would boost trade, attract investment, improve connectivity, and raise living standards in the region. He urged the federal government to act swiftly, saying continued neglect harms national development and weakens public trust in governance.
Chief Sunny Onuesoke demands action on a road the federal government owns, yet expects state governors to lead the push for its repair. The Edo and Delta state governments are being asked to intervene in a federal project despite having no direct authority over it. Residents of both states continue to suffer the consequences of this jurisdictional gap. The highway's decay persists not from lack of advice, but from unresolved accountability.
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