Lucky Way Repairs: Benin residents Commend Obaseki on infrastructure; as FG’s N140bn SIP program kicks off in State.

Residents and workers along Lucky Way in Benin City, the Edo State capital, have expressed gratitude to Governor Godwin Obaseki for responding speedily to rectify the bad state of their road, which had fallen into disrepair due to abandonment for over a decade.

 This was as the governor, unannounced, inspected progress of work along the only major road connecting the centrally located Ramat Park with Iwogban Estates and Uteh Community.

 Prior to the governor’s intervention, which heralded the awarding of contract for, and commencement of the road’s repair, the residents explained that they suffered neglect and faced terrible times during the rainy season due to flooding in the area, which had also affected their businesses.

 A furniture maker, Mr. Danjuma Shuaibu revealed how his business had not enjoyed good patronage because it was impassable, adding that the absence of tricycles was a big challenge, and that he was gladdened when repairs started.

 In the same vein, Mr. James Edem, while commending the state government on the road repair, urged him to ensure the contractor tackled the erosion challenge and that they expedited the road repairs ongoing.

 They said, “Occupants of most houses along Lucky Way have already deserted the area for fear of erosion, but, with this government rehabilitation work ongoing, there will be opportunity for occupants to access their houses and businesses are bound to thrive.”

 Meanwhile, Governor Obaseki disclosed that he has ordered the contractor to re-submit the road design to address challenges of flooding at a portion of the road, which he noticed and expressed optimism that the timeline for delivery of the road project, being October to November, would be achieved with the current work pace.

 “I think giving the period of time, quite a bit of  work has been done and achieved, but I have instructed that the designs for the project be submitted again for review to my office and  based on what I have seen  to ensure that our concerns are taken into considerations and  accounts in the design.

“I want to make sure we arrest flooding in all the areas and solve issues of potential flooding in future so that when we build this road it will be once and for all and we won’t come back to rebuild he added,” the governor said.

Meanwhile, the Edo State chapter of the federal government’s Social Investment Programme (SIP), which offers micro credit to market women and men, cooperatives and traders’ associations, artisans, small-scale farmers, small business owners and youths across the 18 Local Government areas in the state, has commenced operations.

 The focal person and state coordinator of the SIP, Rev S.O Uhunmwangho announced this in a statement just as he advised eligible individuals and corporate bodies to register for whichever categories of the programmes they were interested in.

 It would be recalled that the federal government had commenced the disbursement of N140 billion interest-free loans to accredited beneficiaries of Market-Moni, the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) targeting market women and traders, artisans, youth and farmers across the federation.

 Rev Uhunmwango added that a registration form had been created on the website, noting that only one website existed and people should not be duped.

He said: “Interested persons should log onto www.bio.ng/marketreg for details on how to benefit from the loan scheme.

“Note that this is the only designated website and people can follow the procedure to get their contracts” he added.‎

Edo pensioners urged to revalidate next week

Also, in a bid to harmonize and prevent fraudulent collection of pension across the state, the government of Edo State, has called for eligible pensioners to turn up for the revalidation and biometrics exercise ongoing in the state.

 According to a statement from the Office of the Chief Press Secretary (interim), the exercise is code-named ‘I Am Alive’.

“The one-week verification process will run from June 12 until June 16 this year, and will take place at the respective Local Government Headquarters in the state”.

The statement said, “all the pensioners needed for the verification exercise were their Pensioner’s Identity cards, biometric slip and pension authority letter”.

It however said pensioners in Oredo should not go to the Local Government Headquarters, but to Imaguero College in Benin City for their verification.

John Mayaki,

Chief Press Secretary (Interim),

Governor’s Office, Benin.