Okpebholo moves to tackle flooding in Edo

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has given the Ministry of Works a marching order to prepare a design for controlling the flooding menace in the Government Reservation Area (GRA) and its environs in Benin City.

The Functioning Permanent Secretary, Edo State Ministry of Works, Engr. John Obanor, who disclosed this during a panel session at the Stakeholders’ Sensitisation Workshop organised by the Ministry of Information and Communication in Benin City, stated that the governor is interested in the quality of all projects undertaken by the ministry.

“We have been given marching orders to come up with designs for the control of flooding and construction of roads in the GRA and environs before the next dry season.

“We are looking at about a 62 Km stretch of about 80 roads, which will be addressed. There will be 18 Km of underground drainage to control the flood menace in the GRA.

“The governor is very interested in the quality of work done as many of the existing roads’ asphalt is deteriorating,” he added.

Since inception, 254 Km of roads have been awarded across the state, with the construction of the first of its kind flyover bridge now at an advanced stage at Ramat Park. The contract for the second flyover bridge has also been awarded in Benin City.

“Work is ongoing to mitigate the flooding at the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and Appeal Court axis of Ikpobal hill to divert the flood through Obaseki road to Ikpoba river.

“The government has completed six of the road projects. Two from this administration and four from the past administration,” he added.

The theme of the stakeholders’ Sensitisation Workshop was ” Advancing Edo Together: The People’s View of Governor Okpebholo’s Achievements.”