Over 20 Edo Communities Suffer As ₦200 Million Road Project Facilitated by Senator Oshiomhole Is Abandoned

By Prince Agbedeyi Odimientimi Desmond
Global Egberi Media International
📅 July 1, 2025

"Constituency projects are meant to bring development — not enrich a few at the expense of many."

More than 20 communities in Edo State have been left in hardship and isolation following the abandonment of a ₦200 million road project facilitated by Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC-Edo North), according to civic technology and accountability platform, MonITNG.

The project, titled “Construction of Warake to Ivbiaro Road,” was awarded in 2024 to Sam Sedi Nigeria Limited by the Federal Ministry of Education and supervised by the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi — a decision civic groups have condemned as a serious abuse of procurement procedures.

🚧 A Project in Name Only

During a recent on-site inspection, MonITNG reported that no active construction was ongoing. Instead, they found manual tools dumped under trees, with no machinery or workers in sight.

“This is an abandoned site, not a construction zone. The situation is shameful and unacceptable,” the group stated.

Even more alarming is the fact that the Federal Ministry of Education, with no statutory mandate for infrastructure projects, facilitated the contract — and that an academic institution, Auchi Polytechnic, was appointed to supervise road construction.

🔍 Allegations of Political Cronyism

MonITNG believes the project’s collapse stems from political patronage and flawed procurement practices.

“The contractor, Sam Sedi Nigeria Limited, lacks the visible capacity to handle a project of this scale,” the report noted. “This is what happens when lawmakers award contracts to cronies and unqualified companies.”

The group further criticized the repetition of names and companies across unrelated government contracts. Notably, Nicholas Sam-Sedi, linked to this road project, also allegedly handled an agricultural empowerment project under the same senator — raising red flags over contract recycling without performance assessment.

🧭 Communities Trapped in Isolation

The direct impact is being felt by residents of over 20 affected communities in Owan East and West LGAs, now cut off from markets, hospitals, and schools due to the failed road infrastructure. For many, this road is not just a route but a lifeline.

“The hardship caused by this abandonment is real. Farmers can’t transport produce, children can’t reach schools, and pregnant women face dangerous delays during emergencies,” a local elder lamented.

MonITNG insists that the failure to complete the road is a betrayal of the people’s trust, a waste of public funds, and a demonstration of how constituency projects are weaponized for political gain, rather than development.

⚖️ Call to Action: EFCC & ICPC Must Investigate

The watchdog group has now called on anti-graft agencies — including the EFCC and ICPC — to launch a thorough investigation into the awarding, supervision, and abandonment of the project.

“We demand full transparency. Who owns Sam Sedi Nigeria Limited? Why was the Ministry of Education involved? Why is a Polytechnic supervising road construction? The Nigerian people deserve answers.”

They further stress the need to hold both the contractor and supervising agencies accountable, warning that continued silence will deepen corruption and erode public confidence in governance.

🛑 Conclusion

This case, according to MonITNG founder Ilevbaoje Uadamen, reflects a broader national crisis — one where National Assembly members push inflated or ill-supervised contracts through obscure channels, leaving behind communities that continue to suffer the consequences of broken promises.

“If this culture of rewarding incompetence and shielding cronies continues, there will be no real development. This must stop now.”

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📌 Global Egberi Media International will continue to monitor this story and provide updates as investigations unfold.

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