Edo, FG working to reduce plight of motorists along Benin-Lokoja Road, Obaseki assures

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has reaffirmed
his government’s commitment to ensuring improved road
infrastructure in the state, noting that his administration is in
talks with the Federal Government to improve the
experience of commuters on the Benin-Lokoja Road during
the festive season.
Obaseki said this when he received some directors from the
Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, who paid him a
courtesy visit at the Government House in Benin City, the
Edo State capital.
Governor Obaseki said his administration is ready to
cooperate with the Ministry to ensure success in the
reconstruction of the road.
He further promised to sensitise those whose houses will
obstruct construction works, assuring that necessary
compensation will be considered.
The governor said, “The road alignment from Benin to
Okene is the main economic artery of Edo State because it
cuts across the three senatorial districts of the state.
Anything that happens to that road affects both the
economy and the administration.
“The poor condition of that road has also affected our
internal roads in the state because of the huge traffic that
goes through it. When the road is bad all other state roads
around it will be affected. It has been like that since the
construction of the road started in the last eight years.
“We are in a difficult and desperate situation in Edo State;
we are afraid of entering another raining season with that
road remaining in that state. Whatever can be done to
complete the critical alignment of that road will be
appreciated by the Edo State Government”.
Earlier, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji
Fashola said the Ministry will collaborate with the Edo State
Government to achieve their developmental objectives in
line with the ministry’s mandate on road construction.
The Minister who was represented by the Director, Highways
Roads Design, South-South at the Ministry of Works and
Housing, Engr. Oluropo Oyetade said the visit to Benin City
was to supervise the road design and brief the governor on
the effort of the Ministry in improving federal roads,
especially the Ekpoma stretch.
He said, “About one month ago, the Minister gave all four
contractors and the two Federal Comptroller of Works in
Edo and Kogi State a matching order to ensure that
rehabilitation work is done on the old alignment as
aggressive work is on-going in the four sessions of the
Federal road.
Our focus is on the two alignments in the four sessions of
the roads. The sessions include Lokoja-Okene; Okene-
Auchi; Auchi-Ehor and Ehor-Benin. All the four sessions of
the roads are receiving very aggressive work by the four
contractors and Federal Comptroller”.
Oyetade disclosed that the minister after several meetings
in the last two months, gave the directors in the four
departments in the federal highway to deliver at least one
alignment from Lokoja to Benin latest by June 2020.