10 Years After, Edo Reactivates Benin Storm Water Project, Pays N800 million Counterpart Money

Adams (2nd right), Afegbua (standing) and others at the briefing                                      

Hendrix Oliomogbe 

Succour is on the way for long suffering victims of perennial flooding in Benin City as Governor Monday Okpebholo has concluded plans to reactivate the abandoned Benin City Storm Water Project.

In fact, the state government has already paid N800 million of its counterpart funding to the European Union for the multi billion naira control erosion and flooding project.

The Commissioner of Environment and Sustainability, Mr. Nosa Adams, who disclosed this Wednesday in Benin City at a press briefing hosted by the  Ministry of Information and Strategy expressed the determination of the state government to finish the project started by ex-Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

Amidst fanfare, Senator Oshiomhole had in 2012 started the Benin Storm Water Project to tackle the flooding and erosion in the Edo State capital, which was valued at N30bn then.

Citing massive fraud, former Governor Godwin Obaseki, had cancelled the contract when he assumed office in 2016.

As part of the design, a 13-feet deep channel construction on the New Lagos Road was supposed to link the canal at Five Junction to that at Edaiken Palace, Uselu to control the erosion in the metropolis. 

Flanked by Prince Kassim Afegbua, his counterpart from the Information and Strategy ministry, Mr. Adams assured that in the next two months, all the paperwork would be done and work will earnestly commence.

The commissioner said: "The major problem we are facing in this very particular period is flooding and erosion control. And we have some notorious spots. His Excellency has followed up with the European Union Investment Bank, and has paid the counterpart funding. Edo State is one of the states that has promptly paid the counterpart funding. The government is determined to continue the Benin Storm Water Project, which was thwarted by the last administration.

"And now that we have paid our counterpart funding, in the next two months or so, the second phase and, of course, the last phase of the comprehensive storm project of Benin metropolis will have commenced."

He continued: "We intend to link it up with Tomline, Siluko Road, and Ekewan Road. I can assure you that flooding and erosion problems will be a thing of the past in those areas."

Prince Afegbua reeled out the state government plans to carry out a massive deflooding of the Government Reserved Area and chanelled the water all the way to Ogba River.