Oshiomhole restates commitment to poverty alleviation

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Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State says the government takes the construction and rehabilitation of roads in both the urban and rural areas of the state as a priority as a means to fight poverty and improve the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the state.

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomole
Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomole

During an inspection of ongoing road construction in Igueben, Esan Central and Esan South East Local Government Areas, yesterday, the Governor noted that the economic life of the affected areas will get a boost when the roads are completed.

The Governor who expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of road construction work in the three Local Government Areas in Edo Central Senatorial District of the state said the government would leave no stone unturned in its bid to improve the welfare of both the urban and rural dwellers.

He expressed satisfaction with the quality of the Irrua-Usugbenu, Ugbegun-Ujogba-Ibudin roads in Igueben and Esan Central Local Government Areas, with, the contractor assured, will be completed before April, this year.

The Governor also inspected the Igueben-Ewohinmi and Ewohimi – Emu-Ohordua road linking Igueben and Esan South East Local Government Councils.

In Esan South East, Governor Oshiomhole inspected another ongoing Emu-Okhuesan road project down to the river at Upper Emu road to the old “Biafran” bridge which measured about 16.2km and the Emu-Ohordua road still at Esan South East Local Government measuring 8.4 km as well as the Ewohimi General Hospital which is awaiting commissioning.

Commending the construction company for a job well done, Oshiomhole said: “the joy I have today is that as we go along the road in the villages, both the people inside the bus and passers-bye, you can see the joy on their faces because of the ongoing work.

“Only those who passed through these areas before will know the difference and I am happy that we have made so much progress.

He said “I have seen where roads are built and before you finish the first part, it begins degrade, but I am happy with what I have seen. Everything is good”, he said.

Governor Oshiomhole, therefore, urged the contractor to always continue to pay attention to quality control and assured the people of Edo Central of more construction of roads in the area.

He said “people believed that when roads are built in the rural areas, they should be sub-standard. But I believe that rural people are not sub-standard people and therefore the quality of roads we find in the city should be the same quality of roads in rural areas”, he said.

He said, “because the rural people are the forgotten majority and we are committed to extending development. We cannot fight and defeat poverty if the people cannot be accessed by motor vehicles stressing that nothing can be delivered if the people are not accessed”, he maintained.

Earlier while addressing the Governor, the contractor handling the road projects, Engr S.A. Skaff assured the state governor that the first phase of the project stretching from Igueben to Ibudin would be completely asphalted by end of April this year.

He commended the governor for the support and financial obligation towards ensuring the speedy completion of the projects.

According to Engr. Skaff, “the state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has been standing by us in terms of financial obligations and otherwise and by the grace of God, we shall complete the job to specification, he stressed.