Governor Okpebholo begins road repairs across Edo North to restore key federal highway sections.
He vows to combat kidnapping and tackle erosion, promising swift action across troubled communities.
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has launched palliative works on failed sections of federal roads in Edo North Senatorial District.
This was disclosed in a statement on Thursday by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, who noted that the flagged-off road repairs cover approximately 9.61 kilometres. The roads span communities including Auchi, Igarra, Aiyetoro, Unemu, Nekhua, Aiyegunle, Ikpeshi, Ibillo, Ekor, and Ikiran-Oke all within Edo North.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, Governor Okpebholo said President Bola Tinubu remains committed to the development of Edo State and is determined to ensure citizens enjoy the benefits of democracy.
“Today, we are flagging off these roads to ensure we have good highways in Edo North, Edo Central and Edo South Senatorial Districts,” he stated.
He added that President Tinubu had instructed him during a recent meeting in Abuja to ensure that failed road sections whether federal or state across Edo are promptly rehabilitated.
The Governor also vowed to tackle insecurity in the state, particularly kidnapping, which he described as a growing criminal enterprise.
“I assure you that the business of kidnapping will never thrive here. We must take decisive action as these criminal elements must leave our forests. I assure you that in the next few days, they will be out of our forests,” he said.
Okpebholo stressed his readiness to personally intervene if necessary. “I will relocate to Edo North if that is what it will cost me to flush out criminal elements from the area, as I will not leave this to security agencies alone. Together, we will smoke them out of this area,” he declared.
On the issue of erosion affecting the Auchi community and surrounding areas, the Governor promised to address the problem in accordance with due process.
Also speaking at the event, Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, pledged the legislature’s continued support for the governor’s efforts in infrastructure development across the state.
Governor Okpebholo later visited key erosion-prone areas, including the gully erosion site at Water Tanker Road in Auchi, Ughiogwa, and Ayogwiri-Uzairue, all in Etsako West Local Government Area.
