The Edo State House of Assembly has called on the Federal Controller of works in Edo, to instruct contractors handling all federal government road construction projects in Edo state to go back to the site and complete the projects before the yuletide season.
The Speaker, Rt Hon. Blessing Agbebaku made the call on behalf of other lawmakers after receiving a brief on the state of federal roads in Edo, from the federal controller of works, Mr Babatunde Hassan.
The Speaker and other lawmakers queried the controller on why the Benin-Auchi-Okene, Benin-Sagamu, Benin-Sapele-Warri, Benin-Abraka, Benin-Igara-Ibilo roads and other federal roads have been abandoned and have become impassable for years.
The lawmakers noted that the Ovia River bridge on the Benin-Sagamu-Lagos road had claimed over 50 lives this 2023
alone, adding that the deplorable condition of the roads has brought economic hardship to the people of Edo State.
They thereafter directed the controller of works to press it on the appropriate authority on the need to fast-track the rehabilitation of all failed portions of the federal government roads in the state.
Responding, the Federal Controller of Works, Babatunde Hassan told the lawmakers that roads were quick to fail in Edo as a result of the topography of the state, on one hand, building on waterways and dumping of refuse in drainages.
Mr. Hassan disclosed that upon resumption as the controller of works in Edo in April 2023, he immediately went around the state and wrote a comprehensive report of the state of the roads and forwarded same to the ministry's headquarters in Abuja.
"As we speak, rehabilitation of the Ovia River bridge on the Benin-Sagamu-Lagos is ongoing, and other roads have been awarded reconstruction accordingly," he said.
Also, at the plenary, the House summoned the management of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to appear before it on August 8. over a power outage in some communities in the state.
The plenary was thereafter adjourned to August 7th, 2023, after an adjournment motion moved by Hon Nathasha Osawaru and seconded by Hon. Eugene Inegbeboh.
