FG Inaugurates Another Bridge In Edo Community

The Federal Government inaugurated a dualised bridge and road project in Aden Community, Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State.
The Tide source reports that the inauguration of the projects was performed by the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba.
Agba said the bridge and the road were awarded by the Federal Government in December 2020 at the cost of N1.2 billion, under the economic sustainability plan to sustain livelihoods in the area.
The source reports that the Minister had, in April, inaugurated a reconstructed bridge in Uzanu Community in Etsako-East Council Area and other road projects in Edo North Senatorial District.
Agba recalled that in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, government had come up with an economic sustainability plan.
He said the sum of N500 billion had been set aside to develop some programmes across the country, just to keep livelihoods going.
The minister further stated that he had set aside the sum of N60 billion to take care of road rehabilitation throughout the country in the budget then.
“There were some people who believed that we should be constructing new roads, but I had to convince the Vice-President, who was our Chairman, that we needed to take care of road sections and bridges that had already gone bad.
“That was when Engr. Stanley Dako, the Director of Operations, FERMA, mentioned Aden bridge to me. I had never been here before.
“He said the bridge was a single lane and that there was an oil mill that was of economic importance to the people along that axis.
“He (Dako) said the people were suffering as a result of the bad road and bridge.
“So, we actually came up with two bridges for Edo. This Aden bridge where we made initial allocation of N600 million, and the bridge in Uzanu Community, which we also provided for with about N480 million initial funding”, he said.
Agba said he was glad that the work on the bridge was practically complete and that it was now useable.
The Minister, who said the bridge was no longer a single-lane bridge, commended FERMA for doing a ‘fantastic and commendable’ job.
He said the 2020 budget had, on December 17, 2019, been signed off by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Agba, however, stated that it had to be redone, such that about N500 billion was sourced from some special accounts to accommodate the projects.
He commended the President for giving approvals for all the projects under the economic sustainability plan executed in Edo.
A community leader, Mr Mavis Nogheghase, who spoke at the occasion, thanked the Federal Government for its intervention, saying that the bridge had been in deplorable condition for about 17 years.
The source reports that residents of the community, who came out in their numbers to welcome the minister, sang songs of praises to thank God and the President for remembering them.