Tinubu orders reconstruction of Benin Bypass, others

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the redesign and total reconstruction of the Benin-Agbor-Asaba road and other major federal highways across Edo State and adjoining corridors, as the Federal Government moves to tackle worsening road conditions that have disrupted transportation, damaged vehicles and increased the cost of doing business nationwide.

The directive came on Tuesday as the Minister of Works, David Umahi, inspected the troubled Benin-Agbor-Asaba road in Edo State, while the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, visited the Ifaki-Oye-Kabba and Efon-Iwaraja roads in Ekiti State, where motorists and residents have endured prolonged delays and hardship.

Umahi apologised to commuters and took responsibility for the condition of the Benin-Asaba road, while condemning the concessionaire handling its reconstruction. He ordered steps towards the total reconstruction of the highway, stressing that palliative works would not be sufficient to resolve the problem.

Blame game

Umahi, while on an on-the-spot assessment of the Benin-Asaba road following public outcry over its worsening condition, condemned the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concessions Company over what he described as the poor handling of the Benin-Asaba highway.

The expressway was concessioned to BAECC in 2025 for reconstruction and expansion from four to 10 lanes.

The company had, in October last year, said it would complete the 10-lane highway within the stipulated timeframe.

However, Umahi said the concessionaire ought to have been arrested for destroying public property, accusing the company of manipulating the process to secure the contract.

He said, “I commend Governor Monday Okpebholo for his intervention in lots of federal roads across the state. He is not saying this is a federal or state road. I apologise to commuters plying this road. The NDDC is willing to intervene. I am disappointed with the concessionaire. I take full responsibility for their misdeed and destruction of public assets.

“The Ministry of Works does not allow removal of asphalt. We begged them not to remove it. The concessionaire should have been arrested for destroying public property. This road was not like this when it was handed over. I am instructing the ministry to arrest any concessionaire that removes asphalt from existing roads.”

Addressing the Chief Executive Officer of BAECC, Samuel Daramola, Umahi accused the company of manipulating the process to secure the contract and questioned its technical capacity to handle the project.

He said, “You manipulated the process to get the job. You have no knowledge of road construction. You don’t know what you are doing. You have no technical staff or competence.

“The President has directed us to do whatever is possible to fix this road. The law is there and there is overriding public interest. It is also the fault of the government for not finding out the competency of concessionaires. You are learning how to do construction on our road. This is dangerous.

“This is provocation at its highest level. It is a pity when people cannot pass the road. We have competent contractors who we will beg to restore the road. We will be asking CCETC to fix the bad spot in Asaba.

“I am disappointed. The President has directed me to redesign all roads from Kogi to Warri and around Edo State. They are to be done with concrete pavement. We need total reconstruction of this road and not this palliative.”

On his part, the BAECC CEO blamed heavy rainfall and heavy vehicular traffic on the highway for the slow pace of work.

He said the volume of traffic had made it difficult for the company to construct side drains while keeping the road open to motorists.