Roads and Drains
Our goal is to have all major roads and streets within Benin City and all local government headquarters asphalted and in most cases, with accompanying walkways, drains and streetlights, in an unprecedented urban renewal scheme that will be embarked upon. The walkways would include bicycle tracks so as to encourage cycling, because most distances within the metropolis can be embarked on with bicycles. This also will infuse a new culture for the environment and lead to bicycle plants/job creation and a reduction in fuel consumption.
- Strategic roads, linking communities with major roads and serving as alternative routes will be identified and asphalted.
- The rehabilitation of roads, particularly in the Local Government Councils shall be a policy directive to the Local Government Council Chairmen and this will be implemented in conjunction with the State Government.
- Local Governments will regain their autonomy, and will be encouraged to spend a significant percentage of their allocation on roads rehabilitation, with a corresponding “matching grant” from the State Government to address the problems within their respective councils.
- Communities shall be encouraged to embark on self-help projects to which the LGAs and the state government shall contribute meaningfully. This was one of the strategies that led to the high success of the Dr Samuel Ogbemudia’s administration in the good old days of Bendel State. We will resuscitate this approach and take it to the highest level of community awareness and participation.
- In specific terms, adequate funding will be extended to roads and drains at the local government areas, such that 10km of asphalted roads with accompanying road infrastructure will be constructed in each of the 18 Local Government Councils.
- State Government will construct an average of 300km of roads linking towns within the state to the capital. We will deploy both primary and secondary drains that will properly channel floodwaters to appropriate receptacles instead of the present practice where floodwaters are directed to inhabited areas.
- As part of our deliberate plan to create new towns and settlements around Benin City, a second bridge to link Upper St. Saviour and Ikpoba Hill will be constructed. This will also help to reduce traffic bottlenecks at Ikpoba Hill axis and MurtalaMuhammed Way Junction of Sokponba road.
- We will extend the Airport Road construction to continue across the bridge to EvbuodiaUtagba Village to join Ekenwan Barrack Road by Ojemai Farm. This means that all vehicles coming to Ring Road from Ekenwan Barrack, Ugbine, and even Ugbiyoko axis will access the Ring Road through Evbuodia and Airport Road.
- We will contract some reputable construction firms to station their plant and machinery in each of the three Senatorial Districts for ease of mobilization and deployment, to provide services for a well defined scope of work and a given duration. As part of the contractual agreement, such contractors must draw their labor (skilled and unskilled) from the host communities as a direct approach to employment generation.
- Edo State Road Maintenance Agency with full complements of earth moving equipment will be established through necessary legislation and will have zonal offices in the three Senatorial Districts. While collaborating with the Ministry of Works, it will be responsible for continuous road maintenance and rehabilitation across the state. This will in the end, reduce the cases of road failures and costs.
2) Electrification
- Specifically, all towns, villages, and communities across the state will be connected to the national grid in a sustainable manner.
- We shall be willing to partner with investors in power generation in order to improve power supply in our state.
- We shall take advantage of the Embedded Power generation option, which allows us to generate up to 10megawatts of electricity and have multiple plants to power industry in cluster areas.
- We would develop strategic partnerships with local, national and international investors to pioneer alternative renewable energy generation including solar and wind energy to help combat the horrific and epileptic power supply in Edo State.
- These regeneration programmes we expect would create over 5000 direct jobs in electricity dependent industries and would assist in creating over 3000 new businesses in rural areas.
3) Water Supply
Our government will reform and invest in Edo State Urban Water Board to boost the provision of potable drinking water across the state.
- We shall embark on the construction of public water works in selected community clusters across the state, and vigorously embark on the following plans:
- Resuscitation, expansion and modernization of all existing Water Schemes, such as Ikpoba River Dam, Ugbialo Water Works, Ojirami Dam, and others across the state will be carried out
- We shall vigorously pursue international funding for major water projects in our determination to revamp the public water works department.
- The Water problem in most parts of Edo Central will be given top priority and will be vigorously addressed and solved. We will remove the long standing suffering of the people of Edo Central who have lacked water for several years. We hope that this administration will be remembered for being able to resolve and permanently sustain the provision of water in Edo Central when we are done.
Housing
The “SIMPLE” Agenda will encourage the Public-Private-Partnership initiative in the provision of decent housing units for people in the state;
- Government will supply quality housing through a policy of social housing for the poor and the vulnerable, and develop affordable houses for workers in the state.
- Access to affordable mortgages at single-digit interest rates will be pursued.
- We shall create new Government Reservation Areas (G.R.A) by allocating land, providing infrastructure (including road networks) and inviting reputable developers to take over such areas at reasonable cost to government and the affected communities.