A group, Young Edo Professionals in Politics has taken a swipe at the three senators representing Edo State in the Nigerian senate over the slow pace of work in Benin – Auchi – Okenne – Lokoja highway.
The group said the senators have not done enough to make the users of that road enjoy smooth movement. The young professionals also said that the poor state of the road has also contributed to the level of insecurity which had resulted in incessant kidnappings and deaths.
A statement jointly signed by Endurance Egusa and Uyi Obakplo called on the political parties to field people “who are genuinely interested in the progress of Edo people”.
Edo State is represented in the Senate by Senators Francis Alimikhena from Edo North (APC), Clifford Ordia from Edo Central (PDP), and Matthew Uroghide from Edo South (PDP).
The statement read in part, “The pace of work on that road has been embarrassingly slow. It started in 2013 and the then Minister of Works said it was going to be completed within 18 months but almost nine years after, the job is nowhere near completion.
“If the three senators have the interest of Edo people at heart, irrespective of their political parties, they would have jointly visited the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), or even the president to present the sufferings our people are going through on that road. This is not a party matter but a welfare matter for the people of the state. If they had done that, we believe the federal government would have done something.
“We hear these senators want another term in the senate, we call on the people to question them on this issue.
“We also hear that the then minister of works is also interested in becoming a senator, so the people should ask him what happened to the 18 months completion promise he made. We urge the political parties to field young, vibrant and intelligent young people that can give the kind of representation we need.”
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