Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
Residents of Amufi in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State have expressed satisfaction on the pace of road constructions in the community, saying, it would help enhance the economy of the environs just as the Commissioner for Works, Engr Felix Akhabue warns against dumping of refuse into the drainages.
Speaking for the residents of the community during the inspection of the ongoing road projects in the state by the Commissioner for Works, the Secretary of the Landlords association, Godwin Eseka, said the massive road construction with drainages at both sides have never happened before in the community.
He described the work as very solid and can stand the test of time.
Mr. Eseka said the construction works have endeared the state governor, Monday Okpebholo to them and that if the constitution had made provision for third term, they would have willing cast their votes for him.
Another residents of the area, Mrs. Modupe Ilegbojie said she has been the one maintaining and sand filing the roads.
She said with the intervention of the governor, her money is now saved as she will no longer spend her money on buying of sand to fill the roads anymore.
Ilegbojie said she is going to mobilize all the women to vote for the governor in the forthcoming election in the state.
Speaking at the inspection, the Commissioner for Works, Engr. Felix Akhabue, expressed satisfaction on the jobs executed thus far and the assurances from the various contractors despite the rains.
“I’m really impressed with the way the contractors are working and the way they have assured us. You know, they are all on sites. There was a rainfall about two days ago, but I’m sure that you see all of them are still working today.
“So, once there’s rainfall, the luck we have is that, the rainfall is not on daily basis. Once there’s rainfall, at times you see three days, five days of sunshine again”, Akhabue said.
Akhabue who has visited eight project sites, called on the residents of the state to always pay their taxes to enable governor serves them better.
“The only way the economy can be booming is when you provide road infrastructure. So, I’m sure that is the reason Mr. Governor provides the lion’s share of the capital project to the Ministry of Works so that we can provide roads for our people.
“And we are also ensuring that, that money is judiciously used so that people can get the optimum benefit. So, the governor will always provide for us. And we, as a ministry, we ensure that the funds that are provided for us are utilized.
“So, governor has never starved us of funds. But I know that the governor himself, if possible, would have loved to do all the roads in Edo state but unfortunately, government resources are limited.
“But what matter is, the person in power is making optimal use of the resources that are available. And I want to also use this opportunity to appeal to Edo people that you should pay your tax, that you have a government who will declare all internal generating revenue. Before, the past government will tell you that on monthly basis they were getting N6 billion, N7 billion but since this government came in, we can see that this government had been declaring N10, N11, N12, N13 billion on monthly basis as internal generating revenue. Because that is a government who want to ensure that the Edo people enjoy the benefit of the taxes they are paying.
He also appealed to the residents of the state to own the projects and stop dumping refuse into the drainages to avoid blockade.
