by Idahosa Moses
The Edo State Deputy Governor, Phillip Shaibu on Friday explained that the state government was ready to repair deplorable federal roads across the state to prevent accidents and waste of time on the roads.
Shaibu, who made the disclosure in a phone-in pidgin English programme on ITV/Radio Benin and explained reasons why the state government refused to fix federal roads.
The deputy governor spoke following the ghastly accident that occurred on Thursday around the Ovia river bridge, along Benin-Lagos expressway which involved a Toyota Hiace 18 seater bus and a truck, where no fewer than 11 persons lost their lives.
According to Shaibu, the state government had embarked on Federal roads repairs in the past, but were not reimbursed, hence it stopped despite its importance to the socio-economic well-being of residents of the state.
‘We don’t fix the road before, but federal government no pay us back the money; because dem say dem no approve am, so we com say we no go do again.
‘Dem say dem no dey pay again’, Shaibu was quoted, as he spoke to the pidgin English crew via telephone interview.
He expressed sadness over Thursday s accident, saying the state government was already in talks with the Federal Government to bring an end to incessant road accidents especially around the Ovia river bridge (along Benin-Lagos expressway).
