Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has signed into law several critical bills passed by the Edo State House of Assembly, aimed at improving infrastructure, energy, and security in the state.
Among the newly enacted laws is the establishment of the Edo State Rural Access Roads Agency (RARA), which will oversee the management, rehabilitation, construction, and maintenance of Class C and Class D roads. Another law set up the State Roads Fund and the Edo State Roads Fund Board (EDSRFB), creating a structured funding mechanism for road projects. These laws serve as a pre-qualification for Edo State to access up to $30 million from the $500 million World Bank grant under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP).
The governor also assented to a new Electricity Law, repealing the 2022 legislation and creating the Edo State Electricity Market, the Edo State Electricity Regulatory Commission, the Edo State Electrification Agency, and the Edo State Electricity Transmission Company. This law enable the state to independently generate, transmit, and distribute electricity.
Additionally, the Kidnapping Prohibition (Amendment) Law 2025 introduces stricter penalties, including the death sentence for convicted kidnappers, with their assets and any property used in the crime subject to confiscation and demolition. The law also prescribed the death penalty for those who aid and abet kidnapping.
The swift passage and signing of these laws within Governor Okpebholo’s first 100 days in office reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening governance and delivering meaningful development to the people of Edo State.
Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilor, Esq., emphasized that these legal reforms would drive economic progress, improve infrastructure, and enhance security in the state.
