Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Senator Ede Dafinone, has commended the Federal Government, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and the Delta State Government for the commencement of emergency intervention and rehabilitation works on failed sections of the Benin–Sapele–Effurun Expressway.
Dafinone made the remarks after joining representatives of the Delta State Government, led by the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, officials of the NDDC led by its Chairman, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, Esq., and Managing Director/CEO, Chief Samuel Ogbuku, PhD, as well as other stakeholders, at the Amukpe Roundabout in Sapele for the flag-off ceremony.
The Senator described the intervention as timely, noting that the rehabilitation would ease the difficulties faced by motorists, commuters, businesses and communities that depend on the major corridor.
He particularly commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the NDDC management and the Delta State Government for responding to the concerns of residents and taking decisive steps to address the deplorable condition of the road.
According to him, the development demonstrates that sustained engagement with the Federal Government, its agencies and the executive arm of government can produce tangible results.
“As your Senator and representative of our people, we deliberately chose the path of critical and constructive engagement because our primary responsibility is to get things done,” Dafinone said.
He stressed that not every government intervention needed to become a public spectacle, arguing that “quiet, persistent and purposeful engagement” could sometimes deliver better results than media-driven campaigns, particularly when different levels of government work together.
Dafinone recalled that the poor condition of the Benin–Sapele–Effurun road had generated significant public concern and media attention in recent weeks. He said the NDDC’s swift response demonstrated the importance of coordinated action among government agencies and political representatives.
He noted that the NDDC inspected the affected sections of the road from Benin through Sapele to Effurun on Tuesday and returned by Friday to flag off the rehabilitation, describing the speed of the response as commendable.
The Senator also disclosed that he had been engaging relevant authorities and pushing for concrete action long before the commencement of the rehabilitation.
“I believe results, not rhetoric, should define our efforts, and today, those results are speaking for themselves,” he said.
Dafinone further commended the Delta State Government for adding its voice and support to the intervention, describing the effort as a collective push to secure meaningful results for the people.
He said the current intervention covers approximately 15 kilometres of some of the worst sections around Ajomata/Ibada–Elume–Amukpe–Oghara, but stressed that more work was still required.
While expressing satisfaction with the commencement of the project, Dafinone said his goals had not been fully met, noting that several other failed federal roads across Delta Central still require urgent attention.
He assured constituents that he would continue to engage and press the relevant authorities until additional interventions were secured.
The Senator also welcomed the decision to approach the rehabilitation comprehensively, with contractors commencing work from both ends of the affected corridor to ensure that no critical section is neglected.
According to him, the priority should not be who receives credit for the intervention but the successful completion of the road and the relief it will bring to road users and communities.
“My concern is not about who takes the credit; my concern is that the road is fixed and our people get relief,” Dafinone stated.
He expressed optimism that the rehabilitation would be completed promptly and significantly improve transportation, economic activities and connectivity across the Benin–Sapele–Effurun corridor.
