Comrade Victor Osayande Enobakhare is the Chairman of Egor Local Government Council in Edo State. In this interview with BENIN BUREAU CHIEF, Francis Onoiribholo, he gives reasons for banning learning of driving in public schools and also takes a swipe at motor spareparts dealers, accusing them of wanting to rubbish the market environment by their acts. He therefore reiterates that mechanics and their workshops would be relocated so that miscreants don’t use their abandoned vehicles to hide and carry out nefarious activities. Excerpts:
Why did you ban the learning of driving in the public schools in your council area?
We told them to go to driving schools. We have many driving schools around; people should go to driving schools to learn. Those who drive in school premises damage government property without even reporting themselves and even without showing any concern; no responsible government will tolerate that. Hence we said they should go to driving schools where they can have enough space to learn to drive.
Closely related is the abandonment of vehicles at various mechanic workshops that throng most streets and lanes. If you cannot fix a car why take it to a mechanic? For the mechanic, his workshop should have space enough to occupy the vehicles he is repairing; instead they have turned our streets to workshops.
Hoodlums, at this random workshops, use cover of these abandoned vehicles at night to harass and dispossess unsuspecting passersby of their valuables, even rape people. How are you tackling this menace?
We are returning to the Mechanic Village at Egor; I am only waiting for the dry season to come, then we will open the roads. No one will henceforth say there is no road again. Once the roads are opened we will then give them quit notice, if they are not ready we would know what to do.
What is your plan for Uwelu Road?
We are at phase one of the project now in Uwelu Road. We started from Textile Mill Road axis near Ogida market but had to put it on hold following shortage of funds. However, we will soon re-commence work. That is from that linking Ogida junction. Phase two will take off from Agigbo. And so far, the place is somewhat motorable now up to Ogida junction from Textile Mill Road.
Though we are aware that the state government has awarded the road for construction, our job is to ensure it is motorable and that people have access to their homes. That is our major concern now, and presently what we are embarking on is a palliative like what we did at Uwasota junction.
What is your plan for Upper Siloko road where the inhabitants are now relocating due to inability to access their homes?
That place is very messy but we are not going to work along the road. We will divert from the Power Line before the Spareparts market through to the other bye-pass following Teacher’s House.
We plan a comprehensive grading so that people can access their homes. In fact, I already allocated grading of the area which was delayed by the rains. We don’t want the (contractor) to do any job that will not benefit the people. When you spend the people’s money they should be able to enjoy it, that is why it has been on hold. But I want to assure you that, in Egor Local Government, all the roads would be graded this dry season to ensure they are motorable.
What advice have you for your people?
My people should be patient; it is not easy to change something that has been bad for 10 years within a twinkle of an eye. So, we all need patience and we also pray for prompt and timely release of funds by the federal and state governments to the local government councils, the tier of government closest to the people, to bring development to the people’s doorsteps.
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