Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo in Esan North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, pledged sustained government funding for ongoing road projects across the state after inspecting work on the Arue-Uromi-Agbor corridor.

The governor said the administration would continue releasing funds to contractors as resources became available, with the immediate goal of achieving substantial progress on the projects before Christmas.

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“We will continue to strive to ensure that progress is made on these roads,” Okpebholo said, explaining that government would use available resources to keep contractors working.

The inspection came as the rainy season continued to restrict some aspects of road construction.

Okpebholo said the weather had made drainage work a particularly important area of activity at the project sites.

“Because of the rainy season, nothing much can actually be done. The only thing they can do now is the drainage, which they are working on,” he said.

The governor said he had visited several project sites during the day to assess progress and expressed satisfaction with the work underway.

The Okpebholo road funding pledge is part of a broader infrastructure drive by the administration, which has placed road construction and rehabilitation among its major priorities.

Earlier this month, the Edo State Projects Implementation and Monitoring Department said contractors had remained on site despite heavy rainfall, attributing the continued activity to the government’s commitment to funding the projects.

The department also advised contractors to maximise the wet season by concentrating on concrete works where appropriate.

The administration has also previously directed contractors to accelerate construction ahead of the peak of the rainy season. In March, Okpebholo instructed contractors to work round the clock where possible to minimise weather-related delays.

At the Arue-Uromi-Agbor project, the focus has increasingly shifted towards drainage and other works that can continue during the wet season.

Michel Aoy, Area Manager of Setraco Nigeria Limited, said the Irrua-Uromi bypass component would feature two nine-metre carriageways, a concrete median barrier and street lighting.

The planned road has a total width of 18.6 metres, while a separate drainage corridor of about 20 metres has been required. According to Aoy, securing the right of way had been one of the major challenges confronting the project.

“Now we can see the drain executed, which is the hardest step of the project and which will normally take time with contractors,” Aoy said.

The government’s approach reflects an attempt to keep construction moving rather than allow the rainy season to bring projects to a complete halt.

Beyond the immediate construction schedule, the road projects are expected to improve connectivity between communities, ease movement for motorists and support economic activity across Edo.

The administration’s infrastructure programme extends beyond the Arue-Uromi-Agbor corridor.

Recent monitoring exercises have covered projects including the Adesuwa Flyover, Benin-Sapele Road rehabilitation, Benin-Sapele Water Storm Project, Ramat Park Flyover, Uhie Road and several other urban and inter-community routes.

In April, Okpebholo also inspected a second phase of road projects in Edo Central designed to connect 15 communities, describing improved connectivity as an important part of opening up rural areas for economic activity.

For the administration, the coming months will therefore provide a crucial test of how effectively funding, construction schedules and weather conditions can be managed.

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With Christmas approaching, Okpebholo’s latest pledge places renewed emphasis on maintaining momentum at construction sites while ensuring that public funds continue to translate into visible and lasting improvements in Edo’s road network.