Edo State Government has explained the reason for delay in the payment of contractors engaged by former governor, Godwin Obaseki, to execute projects.

It said it was not in a hurry to pay the contractors.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, who made this known at a news conference in Benin City, said the projects executed by the contractors must be verified before payment would be made.

He, however, said contractors engaged by Governor Monday Okpebholo were not owed and were being paid regularly based on certificate.

Afegbua said Governor Okpebholo ensured funds were available before committing to road building.

Speaking on the demolition of houses belonging to suspected cultists, he said more houses would be demolished to deter others.

He said ‘yahoo boys’ would soon be made to face same ordeal as cultists.

According to him, “the UNIBEN killing is still under investigation. Some persons have been arrested. We heard some money was lodged in the victim’s account, which he refused to pay out.

“They had to trail him to the university environment before attacking him. Our approach to cultism is zero tolerance. You can do your meetings without blood sucking. Our zero tolerance for cultism is still in effect. We are adding ‘yahoo yahoo’. They now hide under ‘yahoo yahoo’. Governor Okpebholo is clear headed on where he is taking the state. Edo has been peaceful to a large extent. Kidnapping has been reduced.

“We don’t just demolish buildings. We demolish from point of view of credible information.”

Afegbua said the state government had taken delivery of 50 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses of 52-seater to ease transportation across the state.

“The buses will soon be released to the public to ease transportation problems across the three senatorial districts. We’re expecting another 50 buses of 52-seater, our target is 100 buses of 52-seater.

“The buses will soon be released to the public to ease transportation concerns across the three senatorial districts.

“I don’t want to unveil the distribution pattern, but we are going to distribute them across the three senatorial districts to ease transportation and also minimise the hazards people have to go through each time they need to travel.” (The Nation)