FG rural road construction to cut transportation cost by 30 percent – Izuagbe

▪︎Commends President Buhari, Agba for the project

▪︎As Minister Agba inspects progress of road construction work

The people of Iviebua, Iviakhua and five other communities in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo are to benefit from a 13.5 km rural roads in the area which would bring down the cost of transportation by 30 percent.

Speaking on behalf of the benefiting communities, Chief Kennedy Izuagbe lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for the project, saying “Some of us never thought these roads will be constructed in our life and times.”

The other communities to be opened up and connected through the road project inituated by President Buhari to forestall post-harvest losses are Iviegbepui, Ivianokpodi, Ivioghe, Ebele and Okpekpe.

Izuagbe, who said that the communities had long been abandoned in terms of developmental projects, noted that the road would also spur both social and economic development in the area.

According to him, “To say that the people are happy will be under statement, we are indeed elated by this development.

“Over the years, the people had suffered untold hardship in the process of transporting goods and services from these communities to the city.

“These inconveniences have often resulted in high cost of transportation to and fro these communities.

“We have had people in government but they have not been able to do what we are witnessing today, but our son, the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, has done what Napoleon could not do.

“We want to also commend President Muhammadu Buhari who have found it fit to appoint Agba as minister.:

Izuagbe said that “Generations unborn will never forget this gesture by the President.”

The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, who undertook an on-the-spot inspection of the project, told the people that for easy evacuation of farm produce, the seven communities would be linked with Ebele and Okpekpe to reduce the travelling time.

He said the essence of the roads was to reduce post-harvest losses, which he said were about 60 percent.

According to him: “To ease evacuation of farm produce, the President approved N34b for 377 rural roads in 266 communities across the country.”

The Project Manager, Mr Bolaji Bakare, said the network of roads would have side drains of 5, 500 meters.

Bakare, who said that the road construction had attained 50 percent completion rate, would be 100 percent completed by March.