Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has charged the management of Rongtai Building Materials Nigeria Ltd. to strengthen safety and security measures at its facility in Utesi, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, following the deaths of five workers at the company last month.
The governor gave the charge on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, when he visited the company to assess the situation and obtain first-hand information about the incidents that triggered protests and attacks on parts of the facility.
Okpebholo described the loss of lives as sad and condemnable, while urging the company to make the safety and welfare of its workers a priority.
“What happened here came to me as sad news, and the incident is condemnable. An establishment of this nature should not be attacked like this,” the governor said.
He noted that the protest followed public anger over the death of a young staff member, stressing that the government valued both human life and economic prosperity.
According to him, adequate security and safety measures must be put in place to prevent further loss of lives.
“If you had a clinic here, what happened would not have happened,” Okpebholo said, commending the company for commencing the construction of a clinic, initiating the process of procuring an ambulance and recruiting medical personnel.
The governor also urged Rongtai to strengthen its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes in its host community, including fixing the bad road within the company’s premises.
He said improved infrastructure would not only benefit workers and visitors but also help prevent criminals from taking advantage of poor access roads to attack vehicles and cause other forms of havoc.
“As a government, we are sorry for the loss of lives and property. I am glad that you have over 8,000 workers here, and I believe you will employ more,” Okpebholo said.
The governor further disclosed that he had discussed with the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Patrick Daaor, the need to establish a police post at the company and provide accommodation for officers to enhance security around the facility.
“Let it be like a semi-barracks to protect the area because we have a whole community here. Having 8,000 workers here is no joke,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of Rongtai, Huang Shibin thanked the governor for visiting the facility to obtain first-hand information about the incident.
Huang said the company had been fulfilling its corporate social responsibility obligations but alleged that some community elders had received substantial sums from the company without ensuring that the benefits reached other members of the community.
He appealed to the governor to assist in improving security around the company and creating a peaceful and conducive environment for its operations.
The visit was attended by senior government officials, including the Commissioner for Public Safety and Security, Festus Ebea; Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, Godwin Eshieshi; Edo State Deputy Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Sylvester Aigboboh; and Commissioner of Police, Patrick Daaor, among others.
