As a follow-up on the Honourable Minister of Work’s inspection tour of ongoing projects in Edo State, His Excellency, Engr. (Sen.) David Umahi, CON, FNSE, FNATE has highly commended the Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Sen. Monday Okpebholo for accepting to take over the funding for the remaining portion of the 28.2-kilometre Reconstruction of Benin – Sapele – Warri Road, Section I (Benin – Imasabor) by the NNPC Limited under the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme. The reconstruction is being handled by Messrs Levant Construction Limited, on behalf of the NNPC Limited with a completion period of 24 months beginning from September, 2023. He made this commendation, when the Governor visited him on Thursday, 27th February in Abuja.
According to the Honourable Minister, due to the priority placed on the road by Mr President, it is expedited to ensure that it is in good shape before the full commencement of the rainy season. He explained that the issue of funding has been a major obstacle to the progress of work, adding that the Ministry has devised two options, which are to get the contractor to, within the limit of the available funds, concentrate on the very bad parts of the alignment. And the second one is to approach the Governor of Edo State, to take over the funding of the road. Engr. Umahi informed that the Governor’s visit is a positive response to the plea for the State Government to take over the funding from where the Federal Government is stopping.
The Minister stated that “There are two issues there, one is the funding issue. So what we have done, the worst sections of this route, we have to analyse it in two sections. One was to get Levant within the limit of the available funds to concentrate on the very bad sections, and then the second is we went to talk to the Governor of Edo State, and that is why he came. We inspected the site together with him and we begged him.”
Engr. Umahi sympathised with the Governor for starting to build the State afresh from where former Governor Adams Oshiomole stopped and had to prioritise everything in the state. He hailed his achievements within the first 100 days in office, the sense of unity and togetherness in the state, respect for elders, and above all, happiness within the workforce. He maintained that good roads will increase economic activities and revenue of the state with GDP growth, as well. “If your roads are good, it will increase the economic activities and revenue of that state and the GDP will grow,” he further pointed out.
In his response, the Governor said that he has come to thank the Minister and to let him know that his work to revitalise and standardisation of Nigeria’s road infrastructure to global standards, is appreciated. He also commended him for keying into the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President with an unprecedented passion.
Governor Okpebholo described the Lokoja – Benin Dualisation as a critical project, stressing that it is a gateway to the north, the south, and other parts of Nigeria. The Okene – Auchi section of the project in Kogi and Edo States was recently flagged off by the Governor, as the Representative of Mr. President with the Deputy Governor of Kogi State, H.E. Sen. Adams Oshiomole, the Minister of Works, traditional leaders and many others, in attendance.
Signed
Mohamed A. Ahmed,
Director, Press and Public Relations.
