Edo Government Explains Why Benin GRA Roads Remain in Terrible Condition

(Monday Okpebholo. Photo Credit: Nation News)

The Edo State Government has given reasons for its inability to repair roads within the Government Reservation Area (GRA) in Benin City.

Numerous roads across the GRA, an upscale district of the city, have deteriorated significantly, with potholes present on virtually every stretch.

Certain sections of the area are severely waterlogged and become impassable during the rains, including Reservation Road, which leads to the Edo Government House.

Addressing journalists in Benin City, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, disclosed that Governor Monday Okpebholo intends to carry out a comprehensive reclamation project covering the GRA and surrounding areas.

He noted that any attempt at surface repairs would prove futile given the persistent flooding and erosion challenges in the area.

According to Afegbua, a feasibility study conducted in the GRA revealed that there is currently no outlet for draining flood water, which is why the administration is planning a large-scale reclamation exercise that would channel the water into the Ogba River.

He also criticised landlords in the GRA for failing to pay Property Tax while still expecting quality roads.

He explained that without improved revenue generation, government would be constrained in its capacity to deliver essential services, stressing that tax obligations are not something individuals can opt out of at will.

He added that expanding the tax base remains central to effective governance.

Afegbua further stated that addressing the GRA’s infrastructure challenges requires a comprehensive approach, warning that without adequate drainage, rainfall would continue to erode the roads.