From Ebohon Joan
The Edo State Government has commenced palliative work on the badly damaged Okhun Junction along Upper Siluko Road in Benin City, as part of efforts to ease the hardship faced by motorists and residents ahead of the planned full reconstruction of the road.
The Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa, who inspected the ongoing work on Monday, commended Governor Monday Okpebholo for including the reconstruction of the road in the 2026 budget.
Idahosa said he had earlier promised residents that temporary repairs would begin while awaiting improved weather conditions, expressing satisfaction that work had now commenced.
He disclosed that the governor had directed the Ministry of Works to begin the procurement process for the award of the road reconstruction project.
The deputy governor said he had been visiting the site regularly since Friday to monitor progress, assuring residents that the government would remain committed until the work was completed.
Speaking on the technical approach, Project Engineer of MCC Construction Company, Toyebi Oluwatomiwa, explained that the road had suffered persistent damage due to water percolation.
He said the contractor had adopted a geotextile engineering method to tackle the underlying problem, alongside the laying of hardcore and surface dressing with three-quarter aggregate.
Some residents and road users expressed appreciation for the intervention, saying the condition of the road had caused serious difficulties for motorists.
One resident, Nosa Oshodi, said the improvement was already making movement easier, while a transporter, Michael Bankole, recalled that his vehicle had recently become stuck and sustained damage because of the poor state of the road.
He, however, noted that the ongoing palliative work had significantly improved the condition of the route.
