Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North Senatorial District, has criticised the Minister of Works, David Umahi, for prioritising the construction of new roads while many existing federal highways remain in a state of disrepair.
Speaking during plenary at the Senate on Wednesday, the former Edo State governor expressed concern over the poor condition of major roads linking Edo State to neighbouring parts of Delta State and other key destinations.
Oshiomhole argued that the ministry's approach to road development appears unbalanced, urging the Senate to intervene and encourage a more equitable distribution of infrastructure projects across the country.
"The Minister of Works needs to be guided because while many existing roads are in terrible condition, the focus is now on constructing new ones instead of rehabilitating those already serving Nigerians," he said.
The senator noted that although about 20 new road projects were recently approved, critical routes connecting Benin City to Warri, Asaba, Auchi and Okene remain neglected despite their economic importance.
He alleged that the Ministry of Works has consistently failed to allocate funds for the rehabilitation of the affected road corridors, describing the situation as unfair to residents and commuters in the region.
According to Oshiomhole, it was only through President Bola Tinubu's intervention that work on parts of the road network was approved under the tax credit scheme.
He further claimed that despite previous resolutions by the Senate calling attention to the deteriorating condition of the roads, the ministry had repeatedly excluded the affected sections from successive national budgets.
Oshiomhole appealed to the Senate leadership to engage the Minister of Works and ensure that future budget allocations reflect a broader national outlook.
"I urge the Senate to encourage the minister to adopt a more balanced approach and ensure that infrastructure development is fairly distributed across the country," he said.
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