Edo has benefited more from PDP than any other state -Labaran Maku

 As the National Good Governance Tour team embarked on the inspection of Federal Government projects across Edo State, Labaran Maku, the minister of Information and Orientation, has said the people of the state had benefited from the People’s Democratic party (PDP) led government more than any other state in the country.

Maku, who made the remark while commending his ministry of works counterpart, Mike Onolonemen at the ongoing dual carriage ways construction on Benin – Auchi – Okene- Abuja Roads, said the network of roads construction has made the state the luckiest destination in the country.

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole had last week during a tax seminar in Benin City, said the state government would not spend the taxpayers’ monies to host the national good governance tour team led Maku.

The minister, who said the ongoing roads construction across the country were a part of President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformational agenda, urged the people to shun all forms of criticism and remain committed to the development of the country.

“If you look at Edo State today you will see that federal government interventions have made Edo State one of the luckiest destinations in Nigeria today. Look at the Lagos Road taking off from the centre of Benin City that traverses right down from Lagos-Ore. Look at the new expressway and the Bye-pass that takes off from somewhere at Ekiadolor that again criss-crosses Benin and formed a Ring Road that goes up to Warri and look at the expressway that took off from Benin centre to Asaba as well as the road that takes off from Benin to Lokoja to Abuja; they are all federal roads.

“Nothing comes easy. Let us suspend all the abuses and let us have a strong heart and let’s keep our eyes on the ball. We must keep our eyes on the ball and deliver. That is exactly what we are seeing here. So for the people of Edo State they need to be bowing down to greet the federal government.

“I can see that this democracy has worked well for the people of Edo State and the people of Nigeria in general because it doesn’t mean that it is only Edo people that are plying these roads. It is meant for every Nigerian. So I want to commend the minister of works because there is a push going on in the road sector,” he said.

Maku pointed out that if the current zeal of the federal government was sustained especially in the road construction sector in the next two to three years Nigerians would begin to have a change of mindset that the present government was out to change the way things are being done in the country.

Earlier, Mike Onolonemen, the minister of works, who conducted the team around the ongoing dual carriage way project along Benin-Auchi Road, said the road is divided into four sections.

He said each section of the road which is made up of 45 kilometres was awarded at the cost of N11billion.

He listed the construction firms handling the four sections of the roads to include Reynolds Construction Company (RCC), Dantata and Sawoe Nigeria Limited, MotherCat and CCCEC.

Onolonemen added that the essence of the roads construction was to link the six geo-political zones in the country, noting that the roads were awarded by the Federal Executive Council.

IDRIS UMAR MOMOH, Benin