From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, yesterday, announced that no fewer than 60 Federal Government projects are cited in Edo State under the Economic Sustainability Plan.
The minister announced this while commissioning and inspecting some projects in North senatorial district of the state.
Projects completed and inaugurated by the minister include 1.5km Mogbe-Edegbe road, 4.5km Agenebode-Unedeger road, 2.5km Ekiwosor-Ivikhue road, Imukena road, Installation of 500kva transformer in Agenebode, open stalls market and solar streetlights
The minister also inspected ongoing construction of 31km Uzanu-Ajaokuta road in Kogi, 21.5km Uzanu-Okpekpe road, 6km Ogeneda-Ugochi road, 10km Egbegeri-Ate road and Somorika road.
Others are Uzanu mini market, Uzanu Divisional Police Station, Uzanu mini stadium, Uzanu internal roads and construction of 80-bed seater with two theatre and doctors quarters of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital Uzanu Annex.
Speaking with newsmen, Agba said the inauguration of the projects in the rural area is as as result of 60 per cent post-harvest lost by farmers and to reduce multi-dimensional poverty in rural areas, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari’s policies are 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 up on social media where they said the president has done nothing in Edo.
“But, seeing, like they say, is believing, just that we haven’t 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 we have a modern bridge we facilitated in economic sustainability plan, these are two bridges in Edo,” Agba said.
He said the massive construction of roads in the rural communities under the National Roads Reduction Policy was to link rural areas together to transport farm produce to neighbouring communities for economic benefits.
He, however, allayed fear of abandoning any of the ongoing projects as they have been captured in the 2023 budget which the incoming administration of the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, would continue under his renewed hope agenda.
Some community leaders, including Peter Okpnokhe, Simon Ogie, and Julius Enakhena, commended President Buhari and the minister for attracting such laudable projects but appealed for the speedy completion of other projects in the senatorial districts.