Edo, Sahara Group Flag off 16.7Km Ikpako-Ajoki Road

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

In a bid to bring development closer to oil-bearing communities in Edo State, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), through one of its joint ventures, Enageed Resources Limited, a Sahara Group Upstream Company, and the state government on Thursday, flagged off a 16.7-kilometre Ikpako-Ajoki Road project.

The road project cuts across several oil-bearing and agrarian communities of Obatan, Evbuorokho, Ajoki, Abala, Kolokolo and Ajamokha, in Ovia North East and Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Areas.

Speaking at the ceremony, NNPC Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, noted that the objective behind the road construction is to bring development to rural communities.

The NNPC boss, who stated that the corporation is constructing roads to support communities across the country, added that though the Ikpako-Ajoki Road ought to have been done 30 years ago, promised its completion.

According to the Executive Director, Sahara Group, Mr. Temitope Shonubi, the road construction which covers many communities is meant to attract development and investment.

His words: “Today we are celebrating the dawn of new opportunities and it is important to also note that the road is not to promote accessibility only but to join communities together and bring development to them in a sustainable manner.”

Shonubi said Sahara has, in a bid to boost power supply in Ajoki, launched the rural electrification project, an innovative initiative focused on supplying electricity to the community through the conversion of flared gas from the flow station into power using a gas-powered generator.

He said in addition to a reduction in the amount of gas flared in the environment, a new source of clean energy will be provided, directly powering tens of thousands of beneficiaries, including businesses, hospitals, schools, and households in the Ajoki community.

“Sahara Group continues to leverage its robust stakeholder relations and collaboration to positively impact communities where we operate and help create ecosystems that support shared prosperity through sustainable interventions,” he stated.

Flagging off the road project, Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, explained that the project would provide seamless access to opportunities for the inhabitants of Ikpako and Ajoki communities, as well as people from neighbouring states, ultimately opening the axis to sustainable development.

“The road will open up economic activities and development. The road is not just for agriculture activities but also to speed up oil exploration and production,” he said.

Obaseki assured residents in the communities that the funds for the road project was already domiciled in a bank, adding that: “This signposts the fact that our coming here today is an indication that it will be completed and not abandoned.”

He said that when completed, it would be joined to the road connecting Gelele River Port and Ekehuan road to ease movement and promote development.