President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered immediate emergency intervention on the 125-kilometre Benin-Asaba Road following the worsening condition of the highway, persistent gridlock and prolonged hardship faced by motorists and communities along the corridor.
The President, represented by Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, said the intervention was a direct response to the difficulties experienced by road users on the strategic route connecting Edo and Delta states with other parts of the country.
Tinubu spoke on Thursday in Benin City during the inauguration of the emergency intervention on the road.
He explained that the Benin-Asaba corridor had been concessioned under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement to the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company (BAECC), with the expectation that the project would be completed within three years.
The President, however, noted that the pace and manner of execution had fallen short of the terms of the concession agreement, resulting in further deterioration of the road and increasing 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,” he said.
Governor Okpebholo, speaking on behalf of the people of Edo State, thanked President Tinubu for responding to the concerns of motorists, residents and communities along the corridor.
He also commended the Minister of Works, David Umahi, for his commitment and personal involvement in efforts to restore the strategic highway.
Okpebholo 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,” he said.
The governor also appealed to residents and commuters who had endured prolonged traffic congestion and delays to remain patient, assuring them that their concerns had been heard.
He said the intervention should mark the beginning of the end of the difficulties associated with travelling along the Benin-Asaba corridor.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, said the Federal Ministry of Works had taken over the immediate palliative rehabilitation of the road in the public interest.
Umahi 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.
According to him, more than 50 pieces of equipment had already been deployed to the corridor, with additional machinery expected to be mobilised.
The minister said the Federal Government was compelled to intervene after efforts to secure the cooperation of the concessionaire failed.
He explained that under the concession agreement, the Federal Government was required to obtain the concessionaire’s permission before intervening on the road. However, according to Umahi, the company declined the options proposed by the ministry.
The government subsequently directed major contractors to work on the three sections of the Benin-Asaba Road to restore failed portions and ease the hardship faced by motorists.
Umahi said the entire corridor would later be redesigned for permanent reconstruction using reinforced concrete pavement.
He added that the emergency works would also address sections where existing asphalt had been removed, leaving the road base exposed to rainfall and further deterioration.
The minister had previously expressed concerns about the performance and handling of the road under the concession arrangement as the Federal Government moved to engage other contractors to restore failed sections.
On the realignment of the Coastal Highway, Umahi said the route would commence from the Benin bypass and run through Delta and Bayelsa states to Eleme Junction.
According to him, the project is designed to divert traffic away from the state capital and improve connectivity with Edo State and other parts of the Niger Delta.
Also speaking, Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, represented by the Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, described the Benin-Asaba corridor as a major transportation challenge for residents of both Delta and Edo states.
Oborevwori commended President Tinubu for intervening to restore the highway, describing it as an important link for commerce, social interaction 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.
“This road needs to come back alive because we have all felt the embarrassment of the deplorable condition of the road.
“The decision to bring back life to this road is a decision we must appreciate President Tinubu for and indeed it shows that he listens,” he said.
The latest Federal Government intervention is expected to restore access and ease traffic on the affected sections of the Benin-Asaba Road, pending the development and implementation of plans for the permanent reconstruction of the strategic corridor.
