The Edo State House of Assembly on Tuesday called on the federal controller of works in Edo to instruct contractors handling all federal government road construction projects in Edo to go back to site and complete the projects before the yuletide season.

The Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, made the call on behalf of other lawmakers after receiving a brief on the state of federal roads in Edo from the federal controller of works, Babatunde Hassan.

Mr Hassan was summoned by the lawmakers over the deplorable condition of all federal roads in the state in a matter of urgent public importance brought before the House by Kaycee Osamwonyi (PDP Uhunmwode).

The Speaker and other lawmakers, during the interface with the controller, queried the controller on why the Benin-Auchi-Okene, Benin-Sagamu, Benin-Sapele-Warri, Benin-Abraka, Benin-Igara-Ibilo, and other federal roads have been abandoned and have become impassable for years.

The lawmakers noted that the Ovia River bridge on the Benin-Sagamu-Lagos road had claimed over 50 lives in 2023 alone, adding that the deplorable condition of the roads had brought economic hardship to the people of Edo.

They, thereafter, directed the controller of works to impress upon the appropriate authority the need to fast-track the rehabilitation of all failed portions of federal government roads in the state.

Responding, Mr Hassan told the lawmakers that roads were quick to fail in Edo as a result of the topography of the state, building on waterways, and dumping refuse on drainages.

Mr Hassan disclosed that, upon resumption as the controller of works in Edo in April 2023, he immediately went around the state and wrote a comprehensive report of the state of the roads and forwarded the same to the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

“As we speak, rehabilitation of the Ovia River bridge on the Benin-Sagamu-Lagos route is ongoing, and other roads have been awarded for reconstruction accordingly.

“The federal government is aware of the conditions of the federal roads, and actions are being taken to address the challenges,” he said.

The controller, however, called on the state government to educate the people on the dangers inherent in building on waterways and dumping refuse in drainages.

Also at plenary, the House summoned the management of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to appear before it on August 8 over power outage in some communities in the state.

The summon followed a matter of urgent public importance brought before it by the APC member representing Orhiomwon, Atu Osamwonyi.

In his consequential motion, Mr Osamwonyi called on BEDC to restore power supply to communities, especially his constituency, Orhiomwon, and other areas that have stayed without power for years.

The Speaker, thereafter, directed the management of BEDC to appear before it on August 8 to explain the challenges confronting the company.

(NAN)