The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to urgently rehabilitate the failed Agbede and Okpella sections of the Benin-Okene Federal Highway in Edo State, describing the road’s condition as deplorable and a source of severe hardship for motorists and residents.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Mr Anamero Dekeri, the lawmaker representing Etsako East/Etsako West/Etsako Central Federal Constituency in Edo State.
A Highway in Distress
In his submission, Dekeri said the affected portions of the highway had deteriorated significantly, rendering travel increasingly difficult, hazardous and unpredictable for motorists, commercial drivers, commuters and other road users. He lamented that the failed sections had subjected travellers to prolonged delays, with journeys that should ordinarily take a short time stretching into several hours or even days.
According to the lawmaker, the situation has produced physical exhaustion, lost productive time, higher transportation costs and avoidable hardship for road users. “The House is disturbed that the failed sections of the road, particularly around Agbede and Okpella, have subjected commuters to prolonged delays,” he stated.
Dekeri also drew attention to the wider impact on residents and communities along the corridor, noting that dust, noise and traffic bottlenecks have disrupted daily life and affected public health. The worsening condition of the highway, he added, has forced some residents to abandon their homes and relocate to safer areas.
Strategic National Corridor
The lawmaker emphasised that the Benin-Okene Federal Highway is a major transportation corridor linking the southern and northern parts of Nigeria, making its continued deterioration a matter of national economic and security concern. The road forms part of the Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi-Okpella-Okene-Ajaokuta-Lokoja route, which facilitates the movement of people, agricultural produce and other goods between the South and the North. Its strategic importance to interstate commerce and regional connectivity makes the condition of its failed sections particularly troubling.
The source article notes that the Federal Government flagged off the dualisation of sections of the Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi-Okpella-Okene-Ajaokuta road project in Edo and Kogi states in February 2025, following the termination and re-award of contracts for some sections after concerns over the performance of previous contractors. In March 2024, the Federal Ministry of Works had also directed contractors handling the wider Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi-Okpella-Okene-Lokoja corridor to accelerate rehabilitation works or risk having their contracts terminated.
Call for Emergency Intervention
Against this background, Dekeri warned that continued neglect of the failed portions could result in loss of lives, displacement of residents, damage to property and further economic hardship for affected communities. He argued that the situation requires emergency intervention beyond routine maintenance, including immediate remedial works to restore safe passage and comprehensive, lasting rehabilitation of the affected sections.
Adopting the motion, the House urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on the Agbede and Okpella sections of the highway to facilitate immediate and comprehensive intervention. It also called on the Federal Ministry of Works and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency to urgently mobilise contractors and provide the necessary funding and technical support for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the affected portions.
In addition, the House urged the Ministry of Works to provide safe and accessible alternative routes for residents of Agbede and Okpella, particularly those whose homes and communities have been cut off by the failed highway, so that they can access their homes and carry out their daily activities.
Lawmakers said prompt intervention was necessary to restore the highway’s functionality, protect lives and property, and ease the burden on communities and other road users.
