President Bola Tinubu has ordered an emergency intervention on the 125-kilometre Benin-Asaba Road following worsening deterioration, severe traffic congestion and prolonged delays affecting motorists and communities along the corridor.
Tinubu, represented by Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo, gave the directive on Thursday in Benin during the inauguration of the emergency intervention on the highway linking Edo and Delta states with other parts of the country.
According to the President, the Benin-Asaba Road was concessioned under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement to the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company (BAECC), with the expectation that the project would be completed within three years.
He, however, said the pace and manner of execution had fallen short of the terms of the concession agreement, resulting in worsening road conditions and hardship for motorists.
“We are here today not to witness the commencement of another road project. We are witnessing the response of a government that has heard the cries of its people and has chosen to act. That is why today’s intervention is truly a rescue operation,” Tinubu said.
Governor Okpebholo, speaking on behalf of the people of Edo State, thanked the President for responding to concerns over the condition of the road and commended the Minister of Works, David Umahi, for his efforts to restore the highway.
He charged the contractors handling the emergency works to ensure quality construction, adhere strictly to approved specifications and complete the intervention within the agreed timeframe.
“To the new contractor, this is a road of great economic importance to Edo, Delta and Nigeria. We expect quality work, strict compliance with the approved project specifications, and delivery within the agreed timeframe. There must be no excuses,” Okpebholo said.
The governor also appealed to communities and motorists who have endured prolonged gridlock and delays to remain patient, saying their concerns had been heard.
He said the intervention should mark the beginning of the end of the hardship experienced by road users along the Benin-Asaba corridor.
Federal Government takes over emergency works
Umahi said the Federal Ministry of Works had taken over the immediate palliative rehabilitation of the road in the interest of motorists and other road users.
The minister clarified that the temporary emergency works were not awarded to Hi-Tech or any other contractor, explaining that the ministry had instead hired equipment for the intervention.
He said more than 50 pieces of equipment had already been deployed to the corridor, with additional equipment expected to be mobilised.
According to Umahi, the Federal Government decided to intervene after efforts to secure the cooperation of the concessionaire failed.
He explained that the concession agreement required the Federal Government to obtain the concessionaire’s permission before intervening, but the company declined the options proposed by the ministry.
Umahi said the government subsequently directed major contractors to work on the three sections of the Benin-Asaba Road to restore failed portions and ease the difficulties faced by motorists.
He added that the entire corridor would subsequently be redesigned for reconstruction using reinforced concrete pavement.
The minister said the emergency works would also address sections where asphalt had been removed, leaving the road base exposed to rainfall and further deterioration.
Umahi had previously raised concerns about the performance and handling of the road by the concessionaire as the Federal Government moved to engage other contractors to restore failed sections.
Coastal Highway realignment
On the realignment of the Coastal Highway, Umahi said the route would commence from the Benin bypass and run through Delta and Bayelsa to Eleme Junction.
According to him, the project is designed to divert traffic from the state capital and improve connectivity with Edo and other parts of the Niger Delta.
Also speaking, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, represented by the Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, described the Benin-Asaba corridor as a major challenge for residents of both Delta and Edo states.
Oborevwori commended the President for intervening to restore the road, describing the corridor as an important link for commerce and cultural ties between the two states.
“For us in Delta, this intervention is a welcome development because this road helps to connect commerce, culture and bring us together as a people that once existed as one state,” he said.
“This road needs to come back alive because we have all felt the embarrassment of the deplorable condition of the road.”
Oborevwori said the decision to restore the road was an indication that the President was responsive to the concerns of commuters and communities along the corridor.
The Federal Government’s latest intervention is expected to restore mobility on the affected sections while plans for the permanent reconstruction of the Benin-Asaba corridor are developed.
