By Egufe Yafugborhi & Ochuko Akuopha

ASABA — Two Niger Delta groups have condemned Federal Government’s approval of N3.9 trillion for 27 road projects across 15 states, with the  “deliberate exclusion of core Niger Delta from the allocations.”

The Niger Delta Concerned Stakeholders for Accountable Security and Progress and the 21st Century Youths of Niger Delta and Agitators with Conscience, 21st CYNDAC, in a statement, yesterday, said the decision “is not acceptable.”

The Federal Executive Council, FEC, last week, approved the road projects covering Adamawa, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Taraba, and Yobe states, according to the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi.

The groups noted that only the Benue–Cross River road links the South-South in the approved tranche, with no major federal road considered for Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom or Edo states.  

“This is exclusion by design,” the groups in a statement by Enisuo Oruomoni noted.

They argued that while Niger Delta youths secure pipelines that produce over 90 per cent of Nigeria’s oil and gas, the region’s infrastructure continues to deteriorate. 

The groups cited the East-West Road, which remains incomplete after more than 20 years, and the dilapidated state of Calabar, Onne, Port Harcourt and Warri Ports, lamenting: “You cannot ask us to secure the goose and still starve it.”

They affirmed alignment “100 per cent” with PANDEF under Amb. Godknows Igali, in sharing the position that the Niger Delta has been “grossly shortchanged.”

They called on President Bola Tinubu and FEC to “immediately review” the allocation and present a supplementary schedule within 30 days to include major road projects for Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Edo and Cross River states. 

The groups also demanded dedicated funding with a 12-month completion timeline for the East-West Road, a masterplan and budget for rehabilitation of Calabar, Onne, Port Harcourt and Warri Ports.