Olero Creek Chiefs, Community Leaders Call for Completion of Abandoned Koko–Ogheye–Epe Coastal Highway

Traditional chiefs and community leaders of Olero Creek, under the authority of His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III CFR,Olu of Warri, have appealed to the Federal Government to complete the abandoned Koko–Ogheye–Epe–Lagos dual carriageway, a project they described as invaluable to the economic revival of Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State and the entire Niger Delta region.

The leaders made the appeal on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, during an assessment tour of abandoned projects in Koko, the headquarters of Warri North LGA of Delta State.

The leaders recalled that the concept of the Koko–Ogheye coastal highway dates back to 1955, championed by the late Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, Nigeria’s former Federal Commissioner for Finance. They lamented that despite decades of promises, the project remains uncompleted, leaving the Itsekiri people and over 80 coastal communities disconnected from major economic hubs. According to them, completing the road would reduce travel time from Delta to Lagos to less than two hours, significantly improving trade and transport.

According to them, the project was officially flagged off on June 10, 2010, by former Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, with an estimated total cost of ?97 billion. The first phase, valued at ?14.9 billion, was awarded to Levant Construction Company by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Designed to link Delta State to the Lekki corridor in Lagos, the road was envisioned to transform transportation in the region and unlock economic opportunities for coastal communities, but work has long stalled.

At a meeting held at the Warri Council of Chiefs Conference Hall (Aghofen), Warri, the Olero Creek chiefs and leaders called on the Federal Government, the Delta State Government, and the NDDC to prioritize the road’s completion. They described it as a long-awaited dream for the Itsekiri people and a strategic project capable of changing the socio-economic landscape of the Niger Delta. They also urged Governor of Delta State His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Elder. Sheriff F. O. Oborevwori to leverage his office to ensure the project is completed within his first term in office.

Furthermore the leaders further explained that the completion of the road would not only boost oil and gas operations in the area but also open up vast agricultural lands suitable for rice, plantain, and tomato cultivation-resources already verified by international researchers. They noted that the road would also enhance fishing activities along the Benin River, home to some of Nigeria’s most productive fishing communities. They called on Warri North Local Government Chairman, Hon. Ashima, to monitor the project’s progress and ensure accountability.

Beyond road infrastructure, the meeting also addressed the communities’ longstanding power and water challenges. The chiefs appealed to the Delta State Government and oil companies operating in Olero Creek to provide two gas turbine generators capable of supplying electricity from onshore platforms to nearby communities such as Tebu, Ebrohimi, Obaghoro, Gbokoda, Ajamita, Udo, Jakpa, Daleoketa, Utonla, Oborogho, Ugbege, Ogheye and others satellite communities in the area. They also called for the extension of potable water facilities from these platforms to the same areas to improve living conditions.

In their closing remarks, the leaders appealed to His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III CFR, the Olu of Warri, and the Delta State Government to establish a dedicated monitoring committee which is similar to the one set up for the Ugborodo communities’ light and water projects with SPDC (Renaissance). They also urged oil and gas operators to prioritize the employment of Itsekiri youths, stressing that empowering locals would promote peace, strengthen cooperation, and ensure that host communities genuinely benefit from the natural resources in their lands and waters.

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