Senate Assures Compensation For Property Owners On Benin -Lokoja Road

The Senate yesterday assured that it would prevail on Federal Government to compensate persons whose property were affected by ongoing dualisation of Benin-Lokoja road.
Chairman Senate Committee on Works Sen. Adamu Aliero said this when he led members of the committee on inspection tour of some projects in South South.
Aliero while noting that there were quite a number of houses affected by the expansion and rehabilitation of the road, said that the committee would follow up with Ministry of Works to ensure that the compensations were paid.
The Benin-Lokoja road has four sections-  Dualisation of Lokoja-Benin road, Ehor, Dualisation of Sapele-Agbor-Ewu road, Dualisation of Lokoja-Benin road in Auchi-Ehor, Benin and Dualisation of Lokoja-Benin Okene-Auchi Section.
According to Aliero, initially, some of the sections of the road were unduly delayed.
“However,  when SUKUK Funding was introduced, work started moving at a very impressive speed.
“SUKUK is an arrangement by federal government for a bond to fund critical roads in the country.
“We are hoping that within the next one and half years, the road will be completed.
“We have asked the contractor to remobilise and get more labour and equipment to site so that the work will be completed within the period given by the ministry,” he said.
Edo Controller of Works, Mr Oke Owhe noted that there was still a lot of work outstanding due to  irregularity of funding.
“The completion of the project depends on funding. The contractors are on ground. Once money is made available  to them regularly, then they will work,” he said.
Project Manager Mothercat Ltd, Mr Joubran Saadeh said that the company would do its best to meet up with the scheduled period for completion.
He appreciated federal government for regular budgetary allocation saying that it would help in expedite work at the site.