BY IDAHOSA MUSA

Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has announced plans to demolish private and commercial buildings erected along water channels in Benin City as part of a comprehensive flood control initiative.

According to a statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, the demolition will make way for both surface and underground drainage systems, particularly in the Government Reservation Areas (GRAs).

Okpebholo assured that property owners with verified documentation will be duly compensated, while others will be relocated to safer areas. 

The move, he said, is necessary to address the long-standing flooding challenges in the state capital.

The governor made the announcement during the inauguration of a technical team of environmental and hydrology experts. 

The team has been mandated to study and adapt the flood mitigation strategies previously implemented in Akwa Ibom and Rivers States under the administrations of Godswill Akpabio and Nyesom Wike.

He stressed that the current efforts will not be cosmetic or politicised, but based on data and best practices drawn from successful case studies. He criticised the previous administration’s approach, alleging mismanagement and poor execution of erosion control funds.

“The forthcoming projects will be transparent, data-driven, and aimed at delivering lasting solutions,” the statement noted.

Itua said the technical team comprises four firms and will carry out comprehensive feasibility studies and environmental assessments. Their work will provide the foundation for a sustainable drainage plan across Benin City and other vulnerable parts of Edo.

“The experts will use this rainy season to assess real-time flooding patterns, terrain challenges, and existing drainage gaps,” the statement added.

Okpebholo has insisted on zero tolerance for corruption in the project, pledging that all funds earmarked for the exercise will be strictly accounted for.

“The era of seasonal flooding that paralyses communities and threatens livelihoods in Edo is coming to an end,” the statement concluded.