The Delta State Government’s increasing focus on flyover construction, while large sections of the state remain in darkness, raises serious questions about governance priorities and sensitivity to the real needs of the people. Infrastructure development is important, no doubt. But when the most basic utility that drives homes, businesses, healthcare, education, and security—electricity—is grossly inadequate, the emphasis on flyovers appears misplaced and troubling.

Across Delta State, especially in many semi-urban and rural communities, electricity supply is either epileptic or completely absent. Small and medium-scale business owners, artisans, welders, barbers, tailors, cold-room operators, and ICT hubs are struggling daily. Many have shut down entirely, while others rely heavily on generators, spending more on fuel than they earn in profit. This is not sustainable, and it is certainly not a pathway to economic growth.

Electricity is not a luxury; it is a foundation for development. No flyover, no matter how beautiful or expensive, can compensate for the damage done when businesses collapse, jobs are lost, and young people are pushed deeper into poverty because they cannot power their tools, machines, or ideas. Roads may ease traffic, but electricity powers productivity.

The irony is glaring. Delta State hosts critical national power assets, including gas resources and proximity to major power infrastructure, yet communities around these facilities often live in darkness. Areas like Ndokwa land, despite their strategic importance, continue to suffer neglect in power supply. This contradiction fuels public anger and deepens the perception that government policies are disconnected from grassroots realities.

Government must understand that development is about impact, not aesthetics. Flyovers may beautify cities and offer political visibility, but electricity transforms lives. It keeps hospitals running, improves security through street lighting, supports education via digital learning, and enables businesses to thrive. For the average Delta resident, stable electricity means dignity, opportunity, and hope.

This editorial is not an argument against flyovers per se, but a call for balanced and people-centered priorities. When resources are limited—as they always are—government must first address the most pressing needs. In today’s Delta State, electricity clearly ranks above flyovers.

We call on the Delta State Government to urgently redirect attention and investment toward power solutions: partnering with distribution companies, supporting independent power projects, strengthening rural electrification, and holding relevant agencies accountable. Development should be measured by how well it improves the daily lives of the people, not by how impressive projects look from a distance.

Delta people deserve light before flyovers. Until that happens, the government’s priorities will continue to be a legitimate call for concern.