Declare State Of Emergency On Southern Routes, CSG Urges Tinubu

At its maiden media interface Thursday in Abuja, the coalition also canvassed a law that would force all public officials to use the roads for all local trips.

He said, “The Coalition of Southern Groups (CSG) calls on the federal government to, as a matter of urgent national importance and concern, declare a state of emergency on all the federal roads in the southern part of Nigeria.

“That the sordid state of the roads is yearning for attention and long overdue for total repairs and overhaul. It is on record that the southern part of the country produces the liquid gold that sustains the economic well-being of Nigeria, and these roads have been left unrepaired for decades.

“Therefore, the CSG frowns at the total neglect of the majority of roads in the entire southern region of Nigeria and charges the relevant ministries and agencies to wake up to the clarion calls of fixing all the road networks across the southern region. This emergency meeting of stakeholders of CSG is essentially to deal with some of the critical issues that affect the good people of the southern region. Today, it is difficult for our farmers to ferry their farm produce to available markets due to the deplorable conditions of all the roads in Southern Nigeria.

“We want a law where elected and appointed public officials are forced to ply our roads rather than flying. It is only through that that they will understand the feelings of the common man.

“Coming from the South West, South East, or South South to Abuja is a nightmare.”

The CSG urged the Federal Government to enhance the capacities of Federal Controllers of Works in each state to be able to perform their supervisory roles effectively.

The coalition also expressed its desire to “interface with the Presidency and, of course, Northern leaders on the way forward for national development.”