Edo State governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to rehabilitating and reconstructing dilapidated federal roads across the state, vowing that the government will seek reimbursement from the Federal Government after completing the projects.
Speaking during an inspection tour of the badly damaged Ogheghe–Ologbo axis of the Benin–Sapele Road on Sunday, November 2, 2025, governor Okpebholo decried the deplorable state of the highway and the hardship it has caused motorists and residents.
“You can see for yourself how terrible this place is. It looks as if there has never been a government here. The PDP government should be blamed for this level of neglect”.
“Just on Saturday, a trailer fell and caught fire here, and several people lost their property. I cannot sit back and watch more lives and livelihoods lost. We will fix this road ourselves and later seek reimbursement from the Federal Government. Our goal is to make this road safe for our people,” the Governor said.
Okpebholo commended the contractor handling the project for working even on a Sunday to speed up repairs. The Governor’s visit forms part of an ongoing statewide infrastructure renewal effort aimed at easing transportation and stimulating economic growth.
The Special Adviser to the governor on Project Implementation and Monitoring, Engr. Mrs. Williams Bello, disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Works recently handed over the 10.15-kilometre section of the road to the Edo State Government for immediate intervention.
“You can see that our Governor is being proactive. The contractor, who was already working on 23.2 kilometres of the road, has now extended work to this newly conceded section,” Bello said. “We are also constructing a 7.5-metre-wide drainage channel to improve stormwater discharge toward the bypass. With the dry season here, the contractor will build up the road base and lay the stone surface.”
The General Manager of CBC Global Construction Company, Mr. Liao, reported significant progress on the project, noting that 8 kilometres of stone base and 5 kilometres of Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP) have already been completed.
“Now that the rains have stopped, we are working on drainage excavation to channel water out. Once that’s done, progress will be much faster. We are optimistic that the project can be completed before the next rainy season,” Liao said.
The ongoing reconstruction of the Benin–Sapele Road adds to a growing list of road projects undertaken by the Okpebholo administration, reflecting its resolve to improve infrastructure and enhance the quality of life across Edo State.