Hon. Uzamere inspects Ekehuan,, 19th Street, others

By Mercy Onyenweli

The Commissioner for Roads and Bridges, Engr. Ethan Uzamere has assured that all roads presently under construction by the state government would be completed before the end of this administration. .

As part of the State’s government determination to ensure quality and durable roads as the Governor is very much interested in solving the issue of flooding as the rains approaches.

Along with his team of Engineers, the Commissioner proceeded to Upper Ekehuan road where he assured that the road project would soon be completed before the rain sets in as the Ministry is pushing the Contractor to work beyond their schedules to ensure the roads are completed by October this year.

He said the first phase of 1.5killometer road project will span through to Ekehuan barracks.

Engr. Uzamere was also at 19th Street, Ugbowo to inspect the underground drainage system and catchpit presently under construction by Levant Construction Company.

At Temboga Road, connecting Upper Mission Extension to Ikpoba Slope, it was observed that side drinages as deep as 600mm, 700mm, 1000mm and 1,200mm were under construction as the road was already passable with the level of work done.
Other construction sites within Benin metropolis visited includes Adesuwa road, Mechanic road, osamudiamen, Osazuwa, okundia and omo-ojide Streets in GRA , omomo Street at stadium road.

He assured residents of the area a flood free road as the raining season draws closer.

Speaking with Newsmen after the media tour, Engr. Uzamere revealed that the Governor who is finishing strong has directed that, in solving flood challenges in the State, strategic Catchpits and underground drinages be sited in flood prone areas to direct the flood to the river.

Engr. Uzamere who expressed satisfaction with the quality of work being carried out on the 19th street and environs revealed that the underground drainages and Catchpits will help control flood during raining season as succour has finally come to 19th street residents.

” Basically when it comes to road construction a lot of work needs to happen during the dry season. So this dry sason we have done a lot of work to push our contractors to work even ahead of their programmed works. So far we are satisfied but we still have a few months left that we can have this kind of push. If you go around you will see that we have completed a few roads; we have completed the Forestry road, Eweka, Second Ugbor and there are other strategic roads that we are going to complete.

The 19th street project is a very strategic one, Over time lots of design changed because additional streets were added. So during the rainy season it would be passable. A lot of work has been done in the underground drainage design and i think it is a very big milestone.

The Commissioner said that the Ekehuan road project will go as far as to Gelegele Port pointing out that the first phase would extend to Ekehuan barracks. While some palliatives would be done at Gelegele because another project; Ikpako-Ajoki road is under construction.

Speaking with a Consultant with the Ministry, Engineer Patrick Ehizojie noted that the 16.1kilometer Ekehuan road would be completed before the end of this year.

Also speaking with the representative of the Contractor, Engineer Linus Oseghale said once the project is completed ,the massively flooded Mechanic road which links Uwelu will no longer experience flooding.