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By Beifoh Osewele, Lagos
Respite is on the way for the long-suffering commuters of the Benin-Ekpoma-Okene Expressway as Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has assured the Senator-elect of Edo Central, Monday Okpebholo and the people of the state of early completion of rehabilitation work on the road.
Fashola disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari has released funds to contractors handling the project.
The minister who spoke to the Senator-elect on Monday at the Aso Rock Villa said palliatives works would also start on the Irrua-Ekpoma failed section as soon as possible to avert the agony of motorists ahead of the rainy season.
Okpebholo popularly called Akpakominza had during the campaigns assured the people of Edo central that he was working hard with the APC-led administration of President Buhari to bring succour to Esanland over the deplorable condition of roads especially the expressway which has caused the people untold hardships.
The Senator-elect while in Aso Rock to meet with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President-elect on Monday, used the occasion to remind the minister about the approach of the rainy season, which would put his people through another round of agony.
The minister disclosed the contractors were paid a few days ago and will soon move to the site, adding that palliative works will commence immediately on the Irrua-Ekpoma axis.
Reacting to the development, Julius Aikore, a community leader in Irrua said Esan people were no more ready to play the kind of politics that have put them behind other senatorial districts in Edo state saying, “we will only be voting for the party and individuals who were ready to develop our land.”
The Benin-Auchi-Okene expressway was awarded by the last administration of President Goodluck Jonathan with work on the Benin city and Auchi axis commencing, leaving out Edo central section.
The Buhari administration, however, started work on the Ewu interchange a few years ago.
The Irrua-Opoji junction-Ekpoma section had remained in deplorable condition resulting in the youths and motorists leading protests and blocking the road to send home their anger over the gridlock caused by articulated vehicles and trailers.
The Coalition of Esan Youth Movements in a statement last year signed by Odion Ighodaro, the convener, said the road was awarded in 2013 and abandoned despite the people voting largely for the PDP government of the day at the time.
The protesters complained that travelling from Ekpoma to Benin sometimes takes between six to 12 hours instead of the usual about half an hour drive.
The deplorable condition of the road also became an issue during the 2023 electioneering with the incumbent Senator, Clifford Ordia, who is also the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works and his party, the PDP on the receiving end.
Okpebholo who was elated over the news from Fashola stated that “these were signs of the good things to come for the people of Esanland from APC and the incoming government of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
The poor condition of the expressway and other roads in Esanland was believed to have contributed largely to the failure of the PDP in last month’s election, with Senator Ordia losing to Okpebholo of the APC.
