Oghara groups have called on President Bola Tinubu to declare an emergency infrastructure intervention on the East-West Road to address its deteriorating condition and accelerate its reconstruction.
The groups made the appeal in an open letter dated October 16, 2026, signed by Dr. Jacob Ighere of the Oghara Elite Forum (OEF) and Prof. Charles Eghweree, Co-Convener of the Oghara Study Group (OSG).
They urged the President to treat the road as a national economic and public safety priority, citing the hardship its condition has imposed on motorists, traders, transport operators and other road users.
They noted that the prolonged deterioration of the strategic highway had resulted in dangerous driving conditions, flooding, vehicle damage, longer travel times and increased transportation costs.
According to them, the road serves as a critical economic corridor connecting communities, businesses and industrial centres across the Niger Delta, making its reconstruction essential to regional development.
The group also called on the Federal Government to address concerns surrounding the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project by providing clear information on the funding and implementation of both projects.
They acknowledged the Federal Ministry of Works’ clarification that the administration intended to proceed with the original 750-kilometre coastal highway while undertaking an additional 400 kilometres of East-West Road reconstruction between Edo and Cross River states.
They, however, stressed that government assurances must be backed by concrete action, urging the Presidency to publish approved engineering designs, project alignments, procurement details, financing arrangements and implementation schedules.
They also called for clarification of the approval and funding status of the proposed additional 400-kilometre reconstruction, insisting that the two projects should proceed without one undermining the other.
Among their demands were immediate repairs to dangerous sections of the East-West Road, a funded and time-bound reconstruction plan, improved drainage and flood-resilient engineering designs, as well as independent monitoring involving professional bodies, civil society organisations and affected communities.
It further urged the government to introduce immediate traffic safety measures and establish a mechanism for reporting road hazards and construction defects.
They appealed to Tinubu and the Federal Ministry of Works to publicly outline the immediate interventions, funding commitments and timetable for the reconstruction, arguing that the Niger Delta deserved infrastructure commensurate with its contribution to the nation’s oil and gas economy.
They maintained that a transparent and decisive response to the road’s deteriorating condition would improve economic activities, reduce the cost of doing business and protect the lives of road users.
Below is the Excerpt of the Open Letter;
OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU, GCFRPresident and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of NigeriaDECLARE AN EMERGENCY ON THE EAST–WEST ROAD: AN URGENT APPEAL FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND ACCOUNTABILITYAn Appeal for Emergency Road Rehabilitation, Transparent Funding and Sustainable Niger Delta DevelopmentDate: 16 October 2026Your Excellency,We write as concerned stakeholders from the Niger Delta to draw your urgent attention to the deteriorating condition of the East–West Road and the need for an immediate, adequately funded reconstruction programme. The recent controversy surrounding the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway makes a clear and transparent federal commitment to the East–West Road especially important.The condition of this vital corridor raises fundamental questions about road safety, economic connectivity, infrastructure development and public accountability in the Niger Delta.For more than six decades, the Niger Delta has contributed enormously to Nigeria’s economy through oil and gas production. Yet the region continues to experience severe infrastructure deficits, environmental degradation, unemployment, poverty and limited opportunities for sustainable economic development.We believe your administration has an opportunity to address these longstanding challenges through decisive, transparent and inclusive development policies.1. Declare an Emergency Infrastructure Intervention on the East–West RoadYour Excellency, the East–West Road is not simply another federal highway. It is a strategic economic lifeline connecting communities, businesses, industrial centres and major economic activities across the Niger Delta.Its prolonged deterioration has imposed enormous hardship on road users, transport operators, traders, farmers, workers and families.In several sections, motorists experience dangerous road conditions, prolonged travel times, flooding, vehicle damage and increased transportation costs.The daily suffering of tens of thousands of road users who depend on the East–West Road for transportation, trade, employment and access to essential services deserves urgent presidential attention.We therefore call on Your Excellency to declare an emergency infrastructure intervention on the East–West Road, using appropriate legal, budgetary and administrative mechanisms to accelerate its rehabilitation and reconstruction.Such an intervention should include immediate safety measures, emergency repairs on critically damaged sections, improved drainage, flood-resilient engineering designs and a properly funded reconstruction programme.The Federal Government should establish clear implementation milestones, publish the approved budget and ensure independent monitoring of construction quality and expenditure.The reconstruction of the East–West Road should be treated as a national economic and public safety priority.2. Resolve the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway Controversy Through TransparencyWe acknowledge the recent clarification by the Federal Ministry of Works that your administration intends to proceed with the original 750-kilometre Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway while undertaking an additional 400 kilometres of East–West Road reconstruction between Edo and Cross River states.This assurance is welcome and should help address concerns about the future of both projects.However, public assurances must be matched by concrete action.We urge your administration to publish the approved engineering designs, project alignments, financing arrangements, procurement information and implementation schedules for both projects.The Federal Government should also clarify the formal approval and funding status of the proposed additional 400-kilometre reconstruction.Your Excellency, the people of the Niger Delta deserve honesty, transparency and measurable commitments—not another cycle of promises without implementation.The East–West Road and the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway should not be presented as competing projects serving different ethnic interests.Both projects can contribute to regional connectivity, industrial development, tourism, trade and economic diversification.Coastal communities deserve meaningful consultation and access to the economic opportunities associated with the coastal highway. Communities dependent on the existing East–West Road equally deserve safe and reliable transportation infrastructure.The Federal Government should deliver both projects transparently, without sacrificing one development commitment for another.3. Our Specific Requests to Your ExcellencyWe respectfully call on your administration to take the following actions:First, declare an emergency infrastructure intervention on the East–West Road, prioritising dangerous and impassable sections for immediate repairs.Second, publish a funded, time-bound reconstruction plan for the entire affected corridor, including the proposed additional 400 kilometres between Edo and Cross River states.Third, disclose the approval status, engineering designs, drainage and flood-resilience measures, procurement details and responsible contractors.Fourth, establish independent monitoring involving professional bodies, civil society organisations and affected communities, with public progress reports.Fifth, clarify how the East–West Road programme will proceed alongside the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, without delaying essential repairs.Sixth, provide immediate traffic safety measures and a mechanism for road users and communities to report hazards and construction defects.Conclusion: Let Road Reconstruction and Accountability Define the ResponseYour Excellency, the people of the Niger Delta have waited too long for infrastructure and development commensurate with the region’s contribution to the Nigerian economy.The collapse of critical road infrastructure should not be treated as a routine administrative inconvenience. It is a public safety, economic and development challenge requiring decisive government action.We urge your administration to demonstrate honesty and transparency by publishing a realistic timetable, securing funding and commencing visible reconstruction works on the East–West Road.The Niger Delta needs safe, functioning roads that connect communities, reduce the cost of doing business and protect lives.We respectfully request a public response from the Presidency and the Federal Ministry of Works outlining the immediate actions, funding commitments and implementation timetable for the East–West Road reconstruction.We remain committed to constructive engagement in the interest of the Niger Delta and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.Yours faithfully,Dr. Jacob IghereOghara Elite Forum (OEF)Prof. Charles EghwereeCo-Convener, Oghara Study Group (OSG)Date: 16 October 2026
