Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The Minister of Ministry of Niger Delta, Hon Momoh Abubakar has decided to hit the ground running by making provisions in the 2024 budget allocation for the construction of Okpella- North Ibie- Agenebode road and three others major roads across the Edo North district of Edo State
According to the details of the ministry’s budget for capital projects, as released by the Budget Office, the Niger Delta Ministry is expected to execute five major capital projects across the region in 2024.
Of these five, four are to be located in the Edo North district while the remaining one consists of classroom blocks in the nine other states of the Niger Delta region
Truth Live News reports that substantial amounts have been set aside for the construction work on the four major roads cutting across the Edo North landscape.
Among the roads listed in the 2024 budget for construction is the 45 kilometer Okpella – North Ibie – Agenebode phase 1 in the Etsako East local government area. The project cost is put at N1. 5bn
Next in the list of the roads is the design and construction of the Ekperi – Osemegbe road in the Etsako Central local government whose budgetary provision is put at 545 million naira.
Others include the Ihievbe – Ogbe road in the Owan East as well as the Iyukwu – Atte road in Akoko Edo local government area., the allocation for the two roads are 500 millon each.
Of significance, the Ihievbe – Ogbe road will provide a huge relief to commuters and motorists commuting between the Owan axis and Akoko Edo, as they will no longer have to go through Auchi in Etsako West before reaching their destinations.
Concerned residents who spoke on the projects, hailed the development, saying it was gratifying the federal government, through the minister, wants to alleviate their decades of suffering by connecting the three major clans in the district with super highways
They also promised to monitor the project execution because of its importance in the social, economic and political advancement of the district.