Gov Okpebholo Blames Persistent Rainfalls For Slow Pace Of Work On Major Entry Roads Into Edo

by Idahosa Musa

Edo State Government has attributed the slow pace of rehabilitation and reconstruction of major roads linking the state to neighbouring states to persistent rainfall, assuring motorists and residents that all major entry and exit routes have been awarded for construction.

The government, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, said the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo remained committed to rebuilding critical infrastructure and delivering the dividends of democracy to the people.

Afegbua explained that ongoing works on the Benin-Ore, Benin-Agbor and Benin-Warri roads had been affected by the heavy rains, which he said had made it difficult for contractors to sustain construction activities.

He noted that the Benin-Agbor road was undergoing major reconstruction under a concession arrangement, with plans for the project to produce a 10-lane highway, while work on the Benin-Ore and Benin-Warri roads had also commenced before the rains disrupted progress.

The commissioner said Okpebholo, upon assumption of office, identified road infrastructure as one of his administration’s priority areas, particularly following what he described as the abandonment of several roads by the previous administration.

He cited the Benin-Irrua road as one of the projects that received immediate intervention, saying the road, which had been abandoned, was restored to public use through remediation works within two months of the governor’s assumption of office.

Afegbua also said the state government had invested in several other link roads across Edo, including the construction of a flyover at the Ramat Park end of the Benin-Agbor road, assuring residents that construction works on the affected roads would resume at an accelerated pace once the rains subside.

He appealed to Edo residents, travellers and other road users to bear with the government, saying it shared their pains over the condition of the roads and remained committed to improving mobility and rebuilding critical infrastructure across the state.