Hendrix Oliomogbe
A group, the People's Assembly for Good Governance (PAGG) has faulted Edo State Government for blaming the incessant rains for the delay in addressing the deplorable condition of roads across the state.
A statement in Benin City by the Dr. Samson Isibor and the general secretary, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nkama,. Samson Isibor after its quarterly meetings on Tuesday, September 27, 2026, where members deliberated on recent developments in Edo State and resolved to demand greater accountability from the state government.
PAGG formerly known as the Coalition of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) berated the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua for heaping the blame for the poor condition of roads in the state on the previous administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Besides, the statement which was signed by the national chairman, Dr. Samson Isibor and the general secretary, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nkama, insisted that it is wrong on the part of the state government to ask residents to endure the situation until the rains subside.
While maintaining that the group is not the image maker of the former administration and has no affiliation with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Isibor and Nkama, however cautioned the Okpebholo administration against attributing its inability to address pressing infrastructure challenges to its predecessor.
“We are not Obaseki’s spokespersons, neither are we members of the PDP. However, the present administration has been in office for close to two years and should take responsibility for its own performance. Blaming the past administration cannot substitute for action,” the group said.
PAGG described the condition of roads across Edo as unacceptable, noting that several major routes have become riddled with potholes and difficult to navigate.
The group said the situation has severely affected residents, commuters, businesses and other road users, alleging that journeys which ordinarily should take two or three hours now take an average of nine hours because of bad roads, congestion and prolonged delays.
The duo questioned why road construction and rehabilitation could not be undertaken during the rainy season when other states were reportedly executing similar projects.
The chairman and the scribe argued that an administration genuinely committed to addressing the hardship faced by citizens should explore available engineering solutions rather than use rainfall as a blanket justification for inaction.
The statement flayed the recent Federal Government flag-off of the rehabilitation of sections of the Benin-Agbor-Asaba Road, saying it was ironic that the state government could participate in and celebrate such an intervention while several other roads within Edo remain in deplorable condition.
According to PAGG, the government’s activities demonstrate that rain has not prevented political activities from taking place.
They noted that the administration had continued to organise political activities, including the inauguration of campaign committees for the 2027 elections, despite the rains, while residents were being asked to wait for the end of the rainy season before expecting meaningful intervention on roads.
The group further expressed concern over the delay in completing the Ramat Park overhead bridge, describing the project as one of the infrastructure projects requiring greater attention.
On the reported proposal for an Edo State airline, they reiterated its opposition to what it described as a potentially expensive and unproductive venture at a time when the state’s road infrastructure is in urgent need of attention.
“We maintain our position that the government should prioritise projects that directly improve the lives of the majority of Edo people. At a time when residents cannot move conveniently from one part of the state to another because of bad roads, we question the priority being given to ventures that may serve only a small section of the population,” PAGG said.
Isibor and Nkama called on Governor Monday Okpebholo to urgently reassess its priorities and commence meaningful interventions on critical roads across the state, stressing that good roads are essential to economic activity, security, transportation and the general welfare of citizens.
The group insisted that Edo people deserved a government that is focused on delivering basic infrastructure and services rather than continually shifting responsibility for present challenges to the past.
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