Edo State Government is planning to expand the state capital, Benin City, by developing a new city in the Iyekogba-axis of the state, which is located in Ward 2, Oredo Local Government Area, Governor Obaseki said on Thursday.
Obaseki made the disclosure after inspecting the newly constructed road connecting Irhirhi, Aruogba, Okhoromi, Obazagbon, Obagienevbosa, Ogheghe and Ogbekpen communities in Ward 2, Oredo LGA.
The governor who expressed satisfaction with the standard of the road, said the project became a priority following plans to expand Benin City.
He noted that an office of the State Ministry of Infrastructure will be sited in the area to ensure proper town planning, adding, “We have acquired 720 hectares of land off this road.
We want to build a new city here. But if you sell all the land in this area without proper layout, we will not have where to build more infrastructure. If we plan this community, for years to come, your children will benefit from it.”
Obaseki added that he had mandated the Commissioner for Infrastructure to re-establish the Right of Way (RoW) in the area as the road would be expanded in the future to ensure free flow of traffic.
“All those building on our right of way should be given notice because in the nearest future, we will expand this road,” he said.
He noted that the contractor handling the road project will commence covering of the side drains in a week’s time.
Councillor, Ward 2, Oredo LGA, Mr Harrison Izekor, commended the governor for the road project, noting that the road has opened up the communities to economic development.
He said the construction of the road created more jobs as over 1,500 businesses have sprung up in the area, adding that residents in the communities are solidly behind the governor’s second term bid to consolidate on his administration’s achievements.
“We are not bothered about money to put in our pockets but about development in our communities,” Izekor noted.
