Lucky Obukohwo Reporting
Senator representing Edo Central senatorial district, Monday Okpebholo has called on the federal government to fix the roads in his senatorial district vis-a-vis Okene-Auchi-Ekpoma-Benin highway and Ewu-Uromi-Agbor, saying his people are in dire pains.
He said the Okene-Auchi-Ekpoma-Benin highway and Ewu-Uromi-Agbor highway were first awarded in 2015 but were abandoned by subsequent governments.
Senator Okpebholo added that the hardships experienced on the roads were severe and tough on the people and on the economy of the area, pointing out that, the Edo Central was gateway to South East, South South, South West and the northern part of the country.
“The deplorable condition of these highways has forced motorists to revert to the internal roads of the communities in Ewu, Irrua, Uromi, Ubiaja, Igueben, Ogwa, Ekpoma and others. The pressure from the heavy traffic have destroyed all the existing internal roads.
“Business activities in the senatorial district are also highly impacted upon very negatively because of these bad roads. A journey that ordinarily takes one hour now takes several days.
“My people are in pains and want the Federal Government to intervene and come to their rescue.”
He lamented that due to the bad roads, animals and perishable goods being conveyed in vehicles sometimes die or get spoilt in transit and thrown into the communities by commuters thereby causing health hazards to his people.
While calling on the Federal Government to declare state of emergency on the roads and give his people succour, he said: “I am convinced only President Bola Ahmed Tinubu can help us out of this situation by fixing the roads to make life bearable again for the entire people of Esanland in Edo Central senatorial district.”