After Edo gridlock, Okpebholo promises better roads before Christmas

• Governor Monday Okpebholo says Edo road projects will continue receiving funding.

• He promised residents they would see significant progress on the roads before Christmas.

• The rainy season has slowed construction, with contractors currently focusing on drainage works.

• Setraco says the Irrua-Uromi bypass will feature dual carriageways, streetlights and a concrete median once completed.

After the frustrating gridlock that forced some commuters to carve out makeshift routes through the forest to escape hours of traffic in Edo State, Governor Monday Okpebholo has assured residents that road projects across the state will continue receiving funding, with visible progress expected before Christmas.

The Edo State governor has assured contractors handling different road projects across the state that his administration will continue funding the projects so they can make noticeable progress before Christmas.

Okpebholo gave the assurance on Monday while inspecting ongoing construction work on the Arue-Uromi-Agbor road in Esan North-East Local Government Area.

According to a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Patrick Ebojele, the governor said he was impressed with the level of work already done, even though the rainy season has slowed construction.

“I can assure the citizens that this administration will continue to fund and support contractors handling road projects across the state to ensure significant progress before Christmas.

“We are here to look at what they are doing. We have gone around several project sites since morning to see how far they are going, and the work is progressing.”

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The governor explained that heavy rainfall has limited the amount of construction that can be carried out for now, with contractors focusing mainly on drainage systems until weather conditions improve.

“By the grace of God, we are looking at what we can achieve between now and Christmas, because of the rainy season, nothing much can actually be done.

“The only thing they can do now is the drainage, which they are working on, and we are seeing the progress they are making across the various sites,” he said.

Okpebholo also promised that contractors would continue receiving funds as they become available to keep the projects moving.

“Our aim is to make sure that we do our best to fund them. As the money comes to us, we also use the money to fund them. So, we will continue to strive to ensure that progress is made on these roads,” he said.

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He added that his administration remains committed to giving contractors the support they need to complete the projects, expressing optimism that improved roads would make travelling easier for residents and motorists, especially during the busy Christmas season.

Meanwhile, the Area Manager of Setraco Nigeria Ltd., Michel Aoy, revealed more details about one of the major projects.

According to him, the Irrua-Uromi bypass road will have two carriageways measuring nine metres each, separated by a concrete median. The road will also be fitted with streetlights.

Aoy, however, said one of the biggest challenges has been acquiring enough right of way for the project, which requires an 18.6-metre-wide road alongside a drainage corridor of about 20 metres.

“Now we can see the drain executed, which is the hardest step of the project and which will normally take time with contractors,” he said.

Road rehabilitation has remained one of the key promises of the Okpebholo administration since taking office, with several projects currently ongoing across different parts of Edo State. Residents will now be watching closely to see whether the governor's promise of noticeable progress before Christmas becomes reality.