Road reconstruction boosts commercial activities in Edo community

Residents of Second East Circular Road area in Benin, Edo, say the reconstruction of the road has heightened commercial activities in the area, thereby improving their means of livelihood.

The residents expressed their delight over the reconstruction of the road by the present administration in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Sunday.

They said that the present state of the road had revived some business outlets that were abandoned when the road was in a very bad shape and always flooded.

Mr Fidel Obasogie, while lauding the state government for the project, said his means of livelihood had been restored and his house saved from flood that earlier ravaged the area.

“You can see that my house is now saved due to proper channeling of the flood; some people have now rented the long abandoned apartments in my house.

“I have, for long, suffered the situation but now I count myself a beneficiary of Adams Oshiomhole’s government,’’ he said.

Obasogie told NAN that a room apartment formerly rented for between N2, 000 and N2, 500 per month, had now risen to between N3, 500 and N4, 000.

He said that the rent for a flat had moved up from N80, 000 per year to N120, 000 because of the project.

Also, Mr Austin Imasogie, a resident of the area, expressed happiness about the change of tide in the area, saying that the years of neglect of the people in the area had turned into a joyful period.

“We have for long suffered in the hand of past administrations in the state; it got to a point when we started asking ourselves if really we were still part of Benin City.

“But thank God that we are now enjoying the benefits of the long period of years of patience; this is a divine intervention,’’ Imasogie said.

Another resident and business woman, Mrs Agnes Idonigie, said commercial activities in the area had been reawakened.

“Some commercial motorists abandoned this area due to the deplorable state of the road. We suffered untold hardship for years but thank God the situation is back to normal now.

“Most of our customers that had run away are now back and patronizing us,’’ she said.

NAN reports that the reconstruction of the 6 kilometre dual-carriage road which is fitted with walkways began in 2015.