Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, on Sunday carried out an unscheduled inspection of the ongoing reconstruction of Ogheghe Road and Old Sapele Road in Benin City, directing contractors to speed up work in order to maximise the current dry season.
The governor visited the project sites shortly after attending a church service, explaining that it was important for him to personally assess the pace and quality of work, given the limited window for construction during the dry season.
“I have not been around here for some time, so coming to see what is going on is important,” Okpebholo said. “We are in the dry season now, and we must take full advantage of it. The speed of work has to be doubled.”
While expressing satisfaction with the quality of construction so far, the governor stressed that contractors must increase the pace to meet set timelines.
“From what I have seen, they are doing well. However, I need them to buckle up and move faster. We have just about five months of dry season,” he added.
Governor Okpebholo also explained that photographs taken during the inspection were to ensure strict adherence to approved project specifications.
“The reason I took those pictures is to confirm that what is on the ground matches the specifications in our records,” he said.
He recalled that the 4.1-kilometre Ogheghe–Old Sapele Road project was initiated following concerns raised by residents over severe erosion and safety risks in the area.
“When we came here previously, many people thought this project was not possible. We embarked on this road because of the erosion and flooding problems. Sadly, a child lost their life here after being swept away by erosion, and that incident underscored the urgency of this intervention,” the governor stated.
