Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
The federal government has said that no fewer than 60 projects have been cited in Edo State under its Economic Sustainable Plan.
The Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, stated this while inaugurating and inspecting some projects in the Edo-North Senatorial District of Edo State yesterday.
Some of the projects completed and inaugurated by the minister included 1.5km Mogbe-Edegbe road, 4.5km Agenebode-Unedeger road, 2.5km Ekiwosor-Ivikhue road, Imukena road, Installation of 500 KVA transformer in Agenebode, open stalls market and solar street lights
Other projects inspected by the minister included construction of 31km Uzanu-Ajaokuta road in Kogi, 21.5 km Uzanu-Okpekpe road, 6km Ogeneda-Ugochi road, 10km Egbegeri-Ate road and Somorika road.
It also included Uzanu mini market, Uzanu Divisional Police Station, Uzanu mini stadium, Uzanu internal roads and construction of 80 bed seater with two theaters and doctors’ quarters at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital Uzanu Annex.
Agba, while speaking to journalists, said the inauguration of the projects in the rural area was as a result of 60 per cent post- harvest lost by farmers and to reduce multi-dimensionally poverty in rural areas.
According to him, the President Muhammadu Buhari’s policies were geared towards reducing drastically the multi-dimensionally poor Nigerians spanning over 130 million.
“From the last count including what we have in 2023, I think we have about 60 projects in Edo and I am glad that you have seen some yourself.
“We have seen some write ups on the social media where they said the president has done nothing in Edo.
“Apparently, those who have done nothing but signing MOU’s are the ones saying this. But, seeing like they say is believing. Just that we have not been making a lot of noise, after all we are not empty vessels.
“The president has done very well for the state. You saw a bridge today at Uzanu and I also told you that we have a modern bridge we facilitated under the Economic Sustainability Plan, these are two bridges in Edo,” Agba said.
Agba, explained that the massive construction of roads in the rural communities under the National Roads Reduction Policy was to link rural areas together to transport their farm produce to neighboring communities for economic benefits.
The Minister, however, allayed fear of abandoning any of the ongoing projects, saying they have been captured in the 2023 budget which the incoming administration of the president-elect, Bola Tinubu would continue.
Some community leaders, Mr. Peter Okpnokhe, Simon Ogie, and Julius Enakhena commended President Muhammadu Buhari as well as the minister for attracting such laudable projects to the senatorial district.
They, however, appealed for the speedy completion of the other projects in the senatorial districts.
