Edo speaker, House members throw weight behind EDSMA

The Speaker of Edo state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Marcus Onobun has reiterated that the House will remain steadfast to supporting policies that provide dividends of democracy as well as formulate enabling laws that benefit the Edo people and investors in the state.

He said this during a courtesy visit by a team of officers of the Edo State Traffic control and Management Agency (EDSMA), led by the Managing Director, Mr. Dennis Oloriegbe, to the Hon. Members of House of Assembly at the Old Chambers on Monday in Benin city.

Mr. Oloriegbe had appealed to the House to support the repealing of existing law on EDSMA established by the previous administration to accommodate modern traffic infrastructures and to enable the agency spread its tentacles to other Local Government Areas of the state.

“We are appealing for the repeal of EDSMA law. We inherited the act that created this law from the old EDSMA administration and that’s what we have been using for the past four years. We discovered some issues we would like to rectify so we want to beg the house to help push it when we apply. We want a law that will accommodate new traffic development in a modern society. The city is getting very mega and development in outskirts of Benin city are fast rising so we want something that will accommodate new traffic facilities in the state”.

Earlier Mr Dennis had said the purpose of visit was to show appreciation to the Hon. Members for their support, collaboration and synergy as they mark EDSMA’s 4th anniversary since its reconstitution in 2017 and also foster good relationship between the Government and the agency. He also noted that improving road furniture and infrastructure such as servicing street lights
and traffic road signs would greatly reduce factors militating against on their job delivery.

On his part, the Speaker Rt.Hon. Marcus Onobun commended the quest for expansion of EDSMA to other areas of the state, and referred to it as a welcome development.
According to the Lawmaker, “The expansion of EDSMA to other areas of the state is a great prospect. We will give you all the necessary supports and enabling laws to see that you are not just physically present in the senatorial districts but also across all local government of this state to serve the people.
You have mentioned quite a number of challenges, thank God we are getting closer to another budget year, you know how the business of government is being run so You have to explore the opportunity of the working with the relevant house committees to see that there is a proper budgetary to meet your requests”.

He enjoined them to also solicit support from private and non governmental organisations who are readily available to throw their weight behind thriving development agencies.