Concrete, Commerce, Cheers As Okpebholo Transforms Benin-Sapele Road [PHOTOS]

Residents and business owners along the Benin–Sapele–Ogheghe corridor have showered praise on Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, following the ongoing reconstruction of the long-neglected Benin–Sapele–Warri Road, describing the intervention as a major boost to economic life in the area.

Operating under the umbrella of the Sapele Road Bypass Axis Group (SARBAG), the residents said the road project has revived commercial activities and restored hope to communities that had endured years of hardship due to the deplorable state of the federal highway. In appreciation, they pledged their support for Governor Okpebholo’s second-term ambition in the 2028 governorship election.

According to the group, improved vehicular movement along the corridor has significantly enhanced trading and business operations across several communities, turning what was once a nightmare route into a viable economic artery.

Landlords and residents noted that the comprehensive overhaul of the road recently taken over by the Edo State Government in collaboration with the Federal Government is expected to ease transportation and further stimulate economic activities between Edo State and other states in the South-South and South-East geopolitical zones upon completion.

For years, the Benin–Sapele–Warri Road had been a symbol of neglect, grounding socio-economic activities and triggering repeated protests by residents of more than 20 communities along the corridor. Media reports recalled that successive administrations failed to address the road’s collapse, despite its status as a critical link between several southern states.

That narrative, residents said, is now changing.

Governor Okpebholo’s administration broke with the past by launching a massive reconstruction of the Sapele Road, challenging the long-held view that the road was solely the responsibility of the Federal Government. From Ekea, Peanut, PZ, Mousco and Evbukhu to Ogheghe and adjoining junctions, completed sections of the road are already easing movement for motorists and commuters.

The project features modern concrete pavement technology as well as surface and underground drainage systems designed to tackle flooding and reduce travel time. At the Ogheghe axis, the state government is also constructing internal roads and rehabilitating the old Sapele Road, complete with hydrological structures to mitigate flood damage.

Speaking with journalists, Chairman of the Sapele Road Bypass Axis Group, Mr. Daniel Omoregbe, alongside the group’s Secretary, Pastor Moses Omo-Osagiede, and Treasurer, Comrade Desmond Ekhator, said the intervention has transformed the area.

“Before now, this road was a nightmare. Today, there are visible changes. The road is motorable, traffic flows smoothly, and businesses are picking up again,” Omoregbe said. “We thank Governor Monday Okpebholo for this timely intervention. We are fortunate to have a governor who listens to the people.”

A motorist, Hon. Lion Joseph Ogieva, also applauded the governor, particularly for work done at the Ogheghe axis, which he described as having been in a deplorable condition for many years.

He said the performance of the current administration in road construction far outweighs that of the previous government, adding that residents of the Sapele Road axis would remember the gesture in future elections.

“For his performance, I will be in the forefront of his re-election in 2028,” Ogieva said. “We cannot change a winning team. The Sapele Road, fixed through collaboration between the Edo State Government and the Tinubu administration, is a gateway to the South-South and South-East and will boost economic activities in the state.”

As communities continue to enjoy the benefits of Edo State’s infrastructure renewal drive under Governor Okpebholo, residents have been urged to sustain their support and cooperation to enable the administration to fully implement its people-oriented programmes and policies under the SHINE Agenda.