Edo lawmakers, Federal Controller of Works, Federal roads in Edo, Babatunde Hassan,
By Jethro Ibileke
Members of the Edo State House of Assembly drilled the Federal Controller of Works in the state, Mr Babatunde Hassan, over the deplorable state of all federal roads in the state.
The lawmakers expressed displeasure over the abandonment of construction works on Benin-Auchi-Okene, Benin-/Ore, Benin-Sapele-Warri, Benin-Abraka, Benin-Igara-Ibilo roads and other federal roads in the state, thereby making them impassible for several years.
They noted that the Ovia River bridge on the Benin-Ore road has claimed over 50 lives this year alone. They added that the deplorable condition of the roads has brought economic hardship to the people of the State.
The Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku, charged Mr. Hassan to instruct contractors handling all federal government road construction projects to go back to the site and complete the projects before the yuletide season.
He further directed him to press it on the appropriate authority on the need to fast-track the rehabilitation of all failed portions of the federal government roads in the state.
Earlier in his brief, the Federal Controller of Works, Babatunde Hassan, blamed the topography of the state on one hand, building on waterways and dumping of refuse in drainages, for the quick failure of the roads.
He disclosed that upon resumption as the Controller of Works in April 2023, he immediately went round the state and wrote a comprehensive report of the state of the roads and forwarded same to the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
“As we speak, rehabilitation of the Ovia River bridge on the Benin-Sagamu-Lagos is ongoing, and other roads have been awarded reconstruction accordingly,” he said