The Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, has disclosed that no fewer than 60 Federal Government projects, under its Economic Sustainability Plan, had been sited in Edo.
Agba disclosed this on Tuesday in Uzanu, Etsako East Local Government Area of the state, while inaugurating and inspecting some projects in the Edo-North Senatorial District.
He said the projects were geared towards reducing the multi-dimensional poverty in rural areas, following the 60 percent post-harvest losses by farmers.
According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari’s policies are aimed at alleviating the plight of the more than 130 million poor Nigerians.
“From the last count, including what we have in 2023, I think we have about 60 projects in Edo, and I am glad that you have seen some yourselves.
“We have seen some write-ups on social media where they said the president has done nothing in Edo.
“Apparently, those saying this are the ones who have done nothing, but sign MOUs.
“But, seeing as they say is believing; just that we have not been making a lot of noise, after all, we are not empty vessels,” Agba said.
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The minister explained that the massive construction of roads in the rural communities under the National Roads Reduction Policy was to link up rural areas, to enable them to transport their farm produce to neighboring communities for economic benefits.
He allayed Nigerians’ fear of abandoning any of the ongoing projects, saying they had been captured in the 2023 budget and the incoming administration of the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, would continue under his Renewed Hope Agenda.
Some community leaders, Mr. Peter Okpnokhe, Simon Ogie, and Julius Enakhena, commended Buhari, as well as the minister for attracting laudable projects to the senatorial district.
They, however, appealed for the speedy completion of other projects in the senatorial districts.
Some of the projects completed and inaugurated by the minister included 1.5 km Mogbe-Edegbe road, 4.5 km Agenebode-Unedeger road, 2.5 km Ekiwosor-Ivikhue road, Imukena road, Installation of 500 KVA transformer in Agenebode, open stalls market, and solar street lights.
Other projects inspected by the minister included the ongoing construction of 31 km Uzanu-Ajaokuta road in Kogi, 21.5 km Uzanu-Okpekpe road, 6km Ogeneda-Ugochi road, 10km Egbegeri-Ate road, and Somorika road.
Others are the Uzanu mini market, Uzanu Divisional Police Station, Uzanu mini stadium, Uzanu internal roads, and the construction of an 80-bed-seater with two theaters and doctors' quarters of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital Annex, Uzanu.
