Gov Okpebholo Inspects Sapele Road Phase II, Assures Relief for Motorists Ahead of Rains

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to easing the hardship faced by commuters as he conducted an on-the-spot inspection of the ongoing Sapele Road Phase II project.

Speaking during the inspection, Governor Okpebholo expressed satisfaction with the pace of work on key sections of the road, noting that significant progress had been made, particularly on portions handled by CBC Global.

The Governor said, “We can see that we have been able to drive on this road to the end of Edo State, between Edo and Delta. A lot of work is ongoing and on one section handled by CBC, they have done very well,”

He explained that while work by CCECC is still at an early stage due to the recent award of their section, the contractor has assured completion of major portions before the end of the year.

He added, “The CCECC has also commenced work, although we just awarded their section about two months ago, which explains its current state. They have, however, promised that between now and December, significant sections will be ready,”

Governor Okpebholo further disclosed that residents and road users would soon experience relief, as parts of the road would be opened to traffic in the coming weeks.

He said, “The good news is that in the next few weeks, CBC will open one section. That means the road will be free and people can travel more easily. We are working day and night to ensure our people do not suffer during the rainy season,”

The Governor attributed the ongoing infrastructure drive to the support of the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said, “For me, I am grateful to God for the opportunity to serve our people, and also to the President for providing the funds to carry out these projects. That is the most important thing,”

Earlier, the Special Adviser on Projects Implementation and Monitoring, Engr. Williams-Bello Phoebe, said the visit was aimed at evaluating ways to accelerate work while providing temporary relief for commuters.

According to her, palliative measures would commence immediately to improve road accessibility ahead of the rainy season.

She explained, “We are already considering palliative work to ease movement. Because of the nature of concrete work, which takes between 21 to 28 days to set, some sections must remain closed. However, from next week, stone base will be introduced in some areas, and traffic will be diverted to ensure smoother movement while construction continues,”

Providing updates on the project, Engr. Liao of CBC Global said his section covers a total of 23.3 kilometres, with about 9 kilometres completed within the township and 7.65 kilometres outside the town.

He expressed optimism that their section of the project would be fully completed by the end of May, making the road motorable.

On his part, Engr. Lee of CCECC noted that their portion of the project is divided into five sections and assured that work is progressing steadily towards completion by the end of the year.

The Sapele Road Phase II project remains a critical infrastructure initiative aimed at improving connectivity between Edo and Delta States, boosting economic activities, and enhancing the overall ease of transportation for residents and commuters.