Blame Obaseki For Bad Roads in Benin GRA, Edo -- Afegbua, Assures Okpebholo Will Fix Them After Rains

Hendrix Oliomogbe 

Edo State government has heaped the blame for the bad roads in the Government Reserved Area (GRA)  of Benin City and other parts of the state on immediate past Governor Godwin Obaseki.

Washed away by torrential rains and littered with potholes, several roads in Benin metropolis, especially in the GRA neighbourhood and other parts of the state are presently in a very sorry state, resulting in untold hardship on commuters. 

Speaking at a press briefing Wednesday in Benin City, the commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Kasim Afegbua said that the poor quality of the jobs which were hurriedly rehabilitated and constructed by former governor Obaseki are responsible for the situation.

Prince Afegbua said that the roads, which were commissioned amidst fanfare and trumpeted as one of the major achievements of former Governor Obaseki's administration lacked proper drains and were constructed with substandard asphalt.

Among several poorly constructed roads in Benin City by ex-Governor Obaseki, he said that those in GRA are the worst, noting that they were washed away by the first rains, resulting in potholes and deep gullies, and will have to be totally reconstructed.

He further added: "The issue of bad roads in GRA and other parts of the state is presently trending in the social media. The roads in question were reportedly fixed during the administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki but are littered with potholes. 

"Good roads are supposed to last between 10 and 30 years but these roads in question collapsed immediately they were constructed. You must note that Governor Monday Okpebholo hasn't completed two years in office "

Not to worry, Prince Afegbua who was flanked by the Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hon. Chris Okaeben; and the Executive Secretary of the Edo State Drugs and Health Commodity Agency, Princess Kenny Okojie, however, passionately appealed to Edo people to be patient, noting that Governor Monday Okpebholo intends to commence the total rehabilitation and reconstruction of roads in metropolitan Benin City and Edo State once the rains stop, noting that it has been ceaselessly pouring down since the beginning of the Year.

The Edo government spokesman said that the administration plans to embark on massive road repairs during the dry season, just as some failed road projects are already being reviewed, assuring that contracts that include drainages will be re-awarded to competent contractors. 

He said: "No contractor can properly fix roads during the rainy season. It has been raining ceaselessly since the beginning of the year. We will fix Benin GRA and Edo roads once it stops raining. We've plans to construct roads across the three senatorial districts of the state after the rains. The recent efforts by Edo Rapid Response Squad to fix some roads within Benin City metropolis didn't work because of the torrential rain. It has been ceaselessly pouring down since the beginning of the year."