By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Kelvin Onyekachukwu, Asaba
The worsening condition of federal roads across the Niger Delta has emerged as a major national concern, with traditional rulers and oil host communities warning that decaying infrastructure now poses serious threats to security, economic growth and national cohesion.
Raising the alarm at a press conference on the state of the nation, the Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSCON) said Nigeria’s continued neglect of key road corridors in the South-South undermines oil production, endangers lives and weakens efforts to stabilise the region that sustains the country’s economy.
Chairman of HOSCON and Ovie of the Great Idjerhe Kingdom, HM King Obukohwo Monday Arthur Whiskey, said roads linking Benin City, Sapele, Warri, Ughelli, Port Harcourt, Oron, Uyo and Calabar have become symbols of federal neglect despite their strategic national importance.
“These roads are not just regional routes; they are economic lifelines for Nigeria,” Whiskey said, noting that the corridors support oil and gas operations, food supply chains, maritime activities and interstate commerce.
He warned that the poor state of the roads has increased travel time, transport costs and exposure to criminal attacks, while also discouraging investment and tourism in the oil-producing region.
According to HOSCON, bad roads have worsened insecurity by slowing security response times and creating safe havens for criminal elements along isolated stretches of highways.
The group said infrastructure decay must be treated as a national security issue, not merely a regional complaint, stressing that economic sabotage can thrive where access and mobility are crippled.
HOSCON also linked road failure to overdependence on highways, urging the Federal Government to revive rail lines, inland waterways and seaports to reduce pressure on roads in the South-South.
“Movement in the Niger Delta should not be this difficult in a region that generates the bulk of national revenue,” Whiskey said, calling for deliberate and sustained investment in multimodal transportation.
Beyond infrastructure, the group said meaningful development in the Niger Delta requires deeper integration of host communities into oil and gas operations taking place in their environment.
“Keeping our people as onlookers in the oil and gas industry weakens ownership, security and sustainability,” the monarch said, adding that inclusion would enhance protection of national assets.
The group also praised the environmental impact of improved security, noting the gradual return of aquatic life and cleaner waterways in parts of the Niger Delta.
Addressing national security more broadly, HOSCON called for constitutional roles for traditional rulers, describing them as critical partners in intelligence gathering and grassroots peacebuilding.
“Traditional rulers understand their communities and can detect early warning signs of insecurity long before crises escalate,” Whiskey said.
The press conference also touched on unemployment, with HOSCON urging the Federal Government to pursue aggressive job creation policies to absorb youths and reduce restiveness nationwide.
On the Presidential Amnesty Programme, the group dismissed ongoing criticisms as distractions driven by vested interests and praised the current Coordinator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, for reforms and strong emphasis on education
.
“No coordinator since inception has taken steps as bold and impactful as what we are seeing today,” Whiskey said, warning that attempts to undermine the programme could threaten hard-won peace.
HOSCON concluded by wishing Nigerians and security agencies a peaceful 2026, while urging the Federal Government to urgently translate policy promises into visible action, especially on roads, security and inclusive development.