BENIN – Engineer Ethan Uzamere, Edo State Commissioner for Roads and Bridges, has assured that the Iguobazuwa-Usen Okoro/ Ugbogui road and other on-going road construction projects across the state will be completed by the Obaseki administration.

Engr. Uzamere gave the assurance while on an inspection tour of Iguobazuwa-Usen Okoro/ Ugbogui road construction project in Ovia South West Local Government Area.

The road project with a total length of 13.22km has 2.05km Iguobazuwa Hospital road completely asphalted, while earth work has been done on Usen Okoro of 7.1km, 1.45km Okemola and 2.5km Ugbogui roads with Stone base about to commence

Addressing journalists after the inspection, Engr. Uzamere, said the road will boost the economic activities of the community and by extension, the state’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP).

“As you can see, this road leads to different farms and also leads to a General Hospital. There is also a few religious centres around here but also a big residential community in this area.So, it actually opens up the inner streets of the community.

“The roads comprise 2.05km Iguobazuwa hospital road, 7.1km Usen Okoro (reconstruction and rehabilitation), 1.45km Okemola road, and 2.5km Ugboguiyi road, making up the 13.22km roads cumulatively”, Uzamere said.

Engr Uzamere further blamed the issues of failed portion on man made activities which must be checked collectively.

The issues affecting the roads, he said, are external factors noting that reasons for the failed portions are because of the heavy duty vehicles from the burrow pits just around the Iguadolor area.

“People are taking sand from the pit and this is actually making our roads to fail. It is very important to know where these burrow pit miners got their licenses from?

“They get their licenses through the federal government and some times, not even the state government is aware.

“They deal with the community directly. So, it is very important for us as a ministry to let the people of the locality know the effects of the mining activities. It is actually going to affect their community land. you can see a lot of gullies around it will eventually affect the communities around here negatively if certain things are not done now”.

Engr. Uzamere stressed that the effect of the burrow pits has tripled the cost of rehabilitating these roads which the Edo State Government has to bear.

The Commissioner assured the people of the state that the present administration will not leave any project uncompleted and that perhaps if there is any undone, the next administration will continue from where they have stopped.

” I am optimistic that most of these roads will be completed before the end of this administration.

“The projects we are doing are not personal. They are for the people. I know the people that this road is affecting will also cry to the next government that they should continue with the project”, Uzamere added