Lawmaker faults minister’s claim in Edo constituency projects

Representative of Etsako Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Johnson Oghuma, has declared that rural roads in Etsako East Council of Edo State for which Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba was claiming credit, were his projects.

Oghuma listed the rural roads as those linking Iviukhua, Iviebua, Iviegbepui, Ivianokpodi and Ivoghe communities.He, however, noted that works are presently ongoing on the Ogbona-Ekperi road in Etsako Central and Okugbe-Imiekuri road in Etsako East through the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Others are the Aviele-Iyakpi rural access road, rehabilitation of Iviakpi-Aviele-Ekhie Girls road, popularly known as Campus Two road in Etsako West.

Oghuma said he influenced and facilitated the projects in the 2020 budget, noting that the roads were chosen for construction as they had been abandoned for several years.

“As agrarian communities, the people find it difficult to evacuate their farm produce to the markets because of bad roads. Besides increasing their expenses, the roads also reduce post harvest loses farmers suffer. He added that the construction of 13.5km rural roads in the area would reduce the cost of transportation by 30 per cent.

Agba had inspected the roads in February and told the people that the projects were part of the 377 rural roads President Muhammadu Buhari approved for construction.

“The roads are meant to ease evacuation of farm produce, which is why President Muhammadu Buhari approved N34b for 377 rural roads in 266 communities across the country,” he said.

MEANWHILE, the Edo State Polytechnic has secured full accreditation for its Mass Communication programme and five other courses after the last accreditation exercise of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
 
Rector of the Polytechnic, Prof. Abiodun Falodun, said the accreditation was a testament to the reforms initiated with support from Governor Godwin Obaseki and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).
 
He explained that students who would enroll for the programme would have the opportunity of being trained by qualified tutors, seasoned academics and experts in the industry.