The Edo House of Assembly has called on the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to urgently rehabilitate all the deplorable federal roads in the state ahead of the festive season.

The speaker of the state House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, made the call on Monday during a plenary session in Benin.

Mr Agbebaku raised serious concerns over the deplorable state of the Benin-Auchi road.

He said the deplorable state had compelled motorists to use Oluku/NIFOR-Sobe Road as alternative access routes to their respective destinations.

Mr Agbebaku noted that FERMA should, as a matter of urgency, fix these deplorable federal roads before the festive season, as the roads had made travelling on the route a nightmare.

“The Benin-Agbor, Benin-Auchi, and Oluku-NIFOR/Sobe roads, amongst others, urgently need the attention of FERMA ahead of the festive season,” he said.

Similarly, the bill for a law to establish the Edo State Agricultural Development Authority 2025 scaled the second reading.

Leading the debate on the bill, the majority leader, Jonathan Ibhamawu, in a motion, seconded by the minority leader, Charity Aiguobarueghian, said the passage would promote food security in the state.

Mr Ibhamawu said on November 11, 2024, 6000 bags of fertiliser in the state government warehouse had allegedly disappeared before the swearing-in of Governor Monday Okpebholo on November 12, 2024.

”The 6000 bags of fertiliser disappeared without due process on November 11, 2024,” he said.

The majority leader said that funds provided as counterpart funding by the state to agricultural organisations like IFAD and FADAMA must be duly accounted for by project officers.

He said this would ensure transparency and accountability in the management of funds for agricultural development in the state.

Mr Aiguobarhughian (Ovia-North1) and Eric Okaka (Owan East) unanimously agreed that the passage of the bill would provide modern farming equipment and access roads in rural communities.

They also said the passage would equip farmers in line with modern agricultural practices for improved yields.

The bill was thereafter referred to the House Committee on Agriculture for further legislative input with a mandate to submit its report within two weeks for consideration. 

(NAN)