Okpebholo Orders Contractors to Accelerate Road Projects Ahead of Peak Rainy Season

Kingsley Ohens reporting

The Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, has directed contractors handling road construction projects across the state to intensify work schedules and operate round the clock in order to beat the peak of the approaching rainy season.

The directive was issued during the governor’s inspection tour of ongoing road construction projects, including Mechanic Road in Egor and Catholic Charismatic Renewal Road in Ugbiyoko. The governor was accompanied on the visit by the Special Adviser on Project Monitoring, Engr. Phoebe Williams-Bello.

Governor Okpebholo emphasized that the state government would intensify monitoring of project sites to ensure contractors speed up work and meet agreed timelines before heavy rains fully set in.

According to him, the rainy season has already begun, making it necessary for contractors to accelerate construction activities to prevent delays and ensure that residents continue to have access to their homes and businesses.

He noted that significant progress must be achieved on major road projects before the rains intensify, citing Mechanic Road as one of the projects requiring urgent attention due to its importance to residents and commercial activities in the area.

The governor also stressed the need for similar urgency on the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Road project in Ugbiyoko, reiterating his administration’s commitment to delivering durable road infrastructure across Edo State.

He further assured residents that road construction remains a top priority of his administration and pledged to continue visiting project sites across the state to ensure contractors comply with agreed standards and completion schedules.

During the inspection, residents of the affected communities trooped out in large numbers to welcome the governor and his entourage, expressing appreciation for what they described as a long-awaited intervention by the state government.
One of the residents of Mechanic Road, Mr. Nosa Christopher, commended the governor for addressing what he described as more than two decades of neglect of the road by previous administrations.

He said the road had remained in a deplorable condition for nearly 20 years, making movement extremely difficult for residents and business owners in the area, until the current administration initiated the reconstruction.

Another resident and landlord in the community, Mr. Julius Adedoja, who hails from Osun State, revealed that he had earlier considered selling his property due to the poor condition of the road.

According to him, the ongoing construction has renewed confidence in the area, attracting new residents and restoring economic activity within the community.

Other residents, including Mrs. Blessing Ihaze, Helen Okunbor, and David Endurance, also lauded the governor for embarking on the project, noting that successive administrations had previously neglected the road.

They pledged their continued support for the administration, describing the road construction as a clear demonstration of the government’s renewed commitment to delivering the dividends of democracy to the people.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Patrick Akhere Ebojele.