Edo Injects N800m into EU-Backed Flood Control Project, Set to Resume Benin Storm Water Scheme

From Chris Akhabue, Benin City

The Edo State Government has paid N800 million as counterpart funding to the European Union to tackle persistent erosion and flooding, particularly within the Benin metropolis, in a renewed push to revive critical infrastructure projects.

The Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Nosa Adams, disclosed this on Wednesday during the Ministry of Information and Strategy’s bi-monthly press briefing. He explained that the initiative represents a continuation of the Benin Storm Water Project originally initiated by former Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

Adams noted that the project, conceived in 2012 with an estimated cost of N30 billion, was designed to address perennial flooding through extensive drainage construction, including a 13-foot-deep channel along New Lagos Road linking key canals across the city. However, the project was halted by the immediate past administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki, which had raised concerns over its viability.

According to the commissioner, the state’s payment of counterpart funding to the European Union Investment Bank signals a decisive step toward completing the project.

“In the next two months, all necessary documentation will be concluded, and work will commence on the second and final phases of the comprehensive storm water project in Benin metropolis,” Adams said.

He added that the scope of the project would include strategic linkages across major corridors such as Tomline, Siluko Road, and Ekewan Road, with the objective of permanently addressing flooding and erosion challenges in the affected areas.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, revealed that the government plans an extensive reclamation of the Government Reservation Area (GRA), incorporating modern drainage systems to channel floodwaters into the Ogba River.

Afegbua further commended the state governor for proactive governance, highlighting recent interventions to support Edo indigenes abroad. He cited the evacuation of citizens from countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Côte d’Ivoire, as well as assistance provided to those affected by xenophobic violence in South Africa.

According to him, the administration facilitated the return of 41 stranded Edo indigenes from South Africa, providing each with N1 million and logistical support, while reaffirming its commitment to the welfare of citizens in distress.

He also praised the government’s intensified efforts to curb insecurity, including decisive actions against kidnapping and cult-related activities, alongside the establishment of special courts to fast-track the prosecution of such cases.