The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo, has highlighted that Edo state needs between 60-75 billion naira to fix its water problem.
He said this during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday, while discussing the critical infrastructure issues facing Edo state, particularly in water supply and road networks. Ighodalo noted the severity of water problems in Edo Central and Edo North, noting that even parts of Edo South are affected. According to his recent assessment, it would require an estimated 60 to 75 billion naira to fully address the state’s water infrastructure needs.
He said, “Particularly in Edo central and Edo north, we have problems with water. Our recent assessment suggests that we probably will be needing between 60-75 billion naira in total to fix the water problem in Edo state. Even in Edo south, there are parts that also require fixing.”
Road infrastructure is another pressing concern, with Ighodalo acknowledging the poor state of both federal and state roads within Edo. He acknowledged that while federal roads could potentially be improved through a mix of concessions and government arrangements, the state roads remain a significant challenge. He said, “There can be a combination of concessions and arrangements that can be reached on federal roads, but we still have our state roads and they need to be fixed.”
However, Ighodalo mentioned that a primary concern in addressing these infrastructure needs is securing the necessary funding to undertake these projects. “The issue is where are we going to get the money from,” he said.
Regardless of the financial challenge, Ighodalo expressed confidence in his ability to attract the necessary funds. He stressed that the key to unlocking capital lies in building trust and demonstrating effective use of funds, which in turn would help increase the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
He stated, “I’ve spent a long part of my life raising money for corporate and for institutions, so I know where the money is. The issue with money coming into an environment such as ours is for those who have the money to trust that you will use the money for the things you say you will use the money for and you will use the money effectively. We need to build an economy that’s able to be at such a productive level that our IGR increases substantially. In the last seven years, the state’s IGR has more than doubled and I think we can do much better when we create that enabling environment. If we look inward, we look into agriculture very seriously, we look into manufacturing, we look into tourism, we are able to build our IGR.”
The PDP governorship candidate also underscored the importance of establishing a government that inspires confidence among investors, donors, and grantors. He pointed out that Edo State’s current government has been successful in accessing capital swiftly and efficiently due to the trust it has built in governance. Ighodalo pledged to continue this trend, ensuring that transparency and trust remain central to his administration’s efforts to attract and manage capital effectively.
“We should also have a government that this who give capital at little or no rate, those who are donors or grantors trust the government. When you trust the government, those who have been in the private sector know that companies that have worthy management and good boards attract capital much easier and at cheaper rates. It’s the same thing with government. If the givers of capital trust those that are in government, then they are better able to access capital at a lower rate and as at when you require the capital. You’ll see that in Edo state today, the present government of Edo state, for the projects that it requires, is able to access capital faster and easier than some other states. It’s because there is a trust in governance and we will bring that trust and transparency into governance so we are better able to attract capital and I know where capital is in the world. I know where grants are, Where donors who are ready to look to us are. I’m not too bothered about finding money.”
Melissa Enoch
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