BENIN CITY- Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has reassured the people that Government will complete all on-going projects in the State, saying “sustaining the work is his bond with the people.”
Speaking during a meeting with members of Igiohen Association of Edo South at the Government House, Benin City, on Tuesday, Governor Oshiomhole said, “you have accepted me as your own. The very least I can do is to ensure that trust, that respect you have accorded me, that I reciprocate it by ensuring that the development of this Kingdom is sustained. For me, work is a habit that I must just do.
Nothing else gives me joy than the fact that I can see what has changed, what is changing in Benin Kingdom, in Esan land and in Afemai land. So, I want to assure you we will finish those projects.”
According to the Governor, “we are bounded together by sheer commitment to develop Benin Kingdom in particular and Edo State in general. And in every occasion, you have always drawn my attention to the unfinished agenda. I have always assured you that for me, service is the word.”
“And even during the election, many of you here, even though you are not card carrying members of a political party, many of you here have gone out of your way to persuade people to vote for me and to vote for my party. And in the last election, I won in all the 77 wards in Benin Kingdom, and that was unprecedented. And I know that many of you played a lot of role in that, and I have not even had the opportunity to say, ‘thank you’.”
Oshiomhole maintained that “the only way I can express my gratitude is to continue to work, as you rightly said. The projects that are on, I will ensure they are completed. I assure you that we will complete them. We have even started new projects. By the time we met last year, we had not started work on the Second East Circular Road; today, we are dualising it, and I am pleased with the outcome.
“Outside Benin, we are working. Our people are working in Abudu community. We are doing a number of roads in Abudu being the headquarter of one of the local governments, and I am very pleased with the result we are getting there.
“There are several things we are doing. When we met about this time last year, I spoke on what we are doing at Upper Mission Road. Today, I think we have almost completed the dualisation. You can drive through now from Ovonramwen Square all the way to Aduwawa. We are already erecting electric poles on it. About this time last year, I told you we are going to sustain our work on Siluko Road. Teachers’ House was already motorable, but it wasn’t asphalted.”
He said: “So, we are sustaining our work, our bond with the people because when people entrust you with leadership, it is not because I am the most intelligent.”
Earlier in his address, the Chairman of Igiohen Association of Benin Kingdom, High Priest Igbinokhuohe Ediagbonya appealed to Governor Oshiomhole to ensure the completion of on-going projects in the State and pledged their loyalty and support to his administration. He said, “we want to use this opportunity to appeal to you to please extend the good gesture that has been enjoyed by the Enigie of Benin Kingdom since the inception of your administration to us as well. Our Comrade Governor, sir, we will be glad if the request of this appeal is granted.”
The Igiohen continued: ‘Your Excellency, sir, we want to as well pledge our unflinching and loyal support to your administration and to use this opportunity to appeal to you to please keep to your word in respect of the promises you made to us and the entire indigenes of Edo State that you will complete and commission the remaining projects you have started. We have absolute confidence that will be able to stand by your word.”
“On a final note, sir, we will equally extend the cordial relationship that has been existing between us as a body and your humble self to the eventual successor,” he said.
