The Edo State Government has attributed the widespread deterioration of roads across the state to substandard construction work carried out by the immediate past administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki.
The government appealed to residents to exercise patience. It stated that construction engineers cannot effectively fix roads during the rainy season.
Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Fred Afegbua, addressed the issue. He noted that the current level of road decay indicates that the previous administration prioritised quantity over quality.
Fred Afegbua said: “The level of road decay experienced now is that the roads then were quantity, not quality jobs.”
He explained that the government conducted an assessment of several roads. These included the GRA, Iyekogba Estate, Irihrih and Okoroma roads. The roads were purported to have been constructed by the Obaseki-led administration.
Fred Afegbua continued: “If you go there now, the roads are full of potholes and are decaying. One begins to wonder what the celebration was about. Roads were supposed to last a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of 30 years.”
He stated that the government is documenting the condition of these roads in response to criticism on social media. Critics have questioned the current administration’s efforts.
Fred Afegbua emphasised that no construction engineer would attempt to fix potholes or bad roads during the rainy season. He noted that the state is currently experiencing heavy rainfall.