EDO GOVT REITERATES COMMITMENT TO BUILDING SUSTAINABLE ROADS

Edo State Government has reassured citizens of its commitment towards building sustainable road infrastructure that will make the State the preferred investment destination in the country.

A total of 886.3km of roads contract have been awarded for construction in Edo state between 2016 and August this year out of which 545Km have been asphalted as of April 2022.

This was stated by Newton Okojie, the Commissioner for Roads and Bridges while briefing reporters in his office on the state of road infrastructure in the state.

There have been peaceful protests staged by different groups in Edo State over the deplorable state of road infrastructure in the state capital, especially the failed portions of the federal highway by the Benin-Sapele road bypass area of the state.

The most recent was the protest by a group of youths complaining about the Wasota -Uwelu axis of roads.

At a joint press briefing by the ministry of roads, and bridges and the Ministry of Environment and sustainability, officials spoke on measures put in place by the state government to improve the road infrastructure and ease the current hardship experienced on these roads.

There was also a representation from the federal ministry of works to explain how the federal government is handling roads in Edo state under their purview and talk about plans to fix the collapsed roads and maintain existing ones.

Despite growing concerns among road users and citizens over the deteriorating condition of the roads, both the federal and state government insists they have done so much in building infrastructure and will continue their work to ensure they are better and safer.

Engr. Okojie also disclosed that about 540km of roads have been asphalted and completed while 314.3km of roads are undergoing construction, with the design of over 100km in progress.

He urged citizens to be patient, saying that the state government will continue its huge road construction and rehabilitation initiatives as soon as the rains stopped.

However, he pointed out that both the ongoing economic crisis and the daily torrential rain have had a negative impact on the State’s rate of road development.