Gabriel Enogholase
22 October 2008
EDO state House of Assembly has called on the state goverment and chairmen of 18 local government councils to ensure the construction of adequate drainage systems on all link roads in the state to avert a repeat of the of floodings that wrecked havoc on some parts of the state capital Benin City recently.
They also frowned at the construction and realibitation of roads by the state goverment without providing adequate drainage facilities, saying that these has led to rains sweeping off some of the roads already completed.
Besides,the lawmakers advised education authorities and the state government to commence the process that would lead to a complete hand over of all public schools to the owners.
While expressing its dissatisfaction to the rot in public schools where teachers have turned their classes to illegal businesses, they described as an eyesore the situation in public schools which ought to be the citadel of sound morals, character moulding and intellectual development.
They frowned at the manner roads were awarded to contractors for execution in apparent disregard for drainages that would help preserve the lifespan of such roads and even at the risk of tax payers" money.
The action of the lawmakers was sequel to a motion by the Action Congress member in the house representing Etsako West constituency 11 and Minority Whip of the house, Mr. Philip Shuaibu and seconded by Mr. Chris Umogbai (Etsako Central) which viewed with concern the deplorable state of the much talked about multi-billion naira road projects so far executed across the state by the governor Oserheimen Osunbor led government within the past 16 months he mounted the saddle.
The ugly effect of the flooding that greeted the state since the rains has compelled some of the aggrieved lawmakers to vow that the over N12.3 billion which has large chunk voted to infrastructure (road among others) would not be passed until adequate account is rendred by the executive arm, as most of the roads built had been swept away by excessive flooding due to zero drainage system.
However, they observed with dismay that a great deal of roads had been constructed in line with the determination of Governor Osunbor"s vision to transform the various senatorial zones of the state but the impact of this year"s rainfall exposed the architectural flaw demonstrated by the local contractors that handled the various road projects.
"Drainage facilities should be attached when roads are being constructed by the state and chairmen of the local government councils.
A great deal of roads had been constructed in line with the determination of the governor"s vision but the last rains had exposed the architectural flaws of the contractors in the execution of the roads."
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