Minister of Works, David Umahi, has apologised to Nigerians over the worsening condition of the Benin-Asaba Expressway and ordered the arrest of contractors or concessionaires who remove asphalt from federal roads without proper authorisation.
Umahi gave the directive on Tuesday while inspecting the troubled highway in Benin, Edo State, following growing complaints from motorists about damaged sections of the road and prolonged traffic congestion.
The minister expressed serious dissatisfaction with the work being carried out by the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company (BAECC), accusing the concessionaire of failing to provide the technical expertise needed to properly execute the project.
According to Umahi, the situation became worse after existing asphalt was removed without first putting adequate drainage infrastructure in place.
“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 minister said.
Umahi said the Federal Government had previously warned the concessionaire against removing the existing asphalt, but alleged that the directive was disregarded.
He subsequently instructed ministry officials and relevant authorities to arrest any contractor or concessionaire found removing asphalt from existing roads without approval.
“I’m directing all controllers to arrest any contractor or concessionaire that removes asphalt on a road. This road was not like this before we handed it over to you,” he said.
Umahi apologised to Nigerians for the hardship caused by the poor state of the road, saying the Federal Government would take responsibility for resolving the crisis.
“I take full responsibility for their misdeed and destruction of public assets,” Umahi stated.
The minister said the government was considering the overriding public interest provision in the concession agreement, which could allow it to intervene directly in the project.
He added that competent contractors would be deployed to repair the affected sections, while the government would seek the assistance of the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) on parts of the road around Asaba.
The development could lead to a major review of the concession arrangement if BAECC fails to meet the required standards.
During the inspection, Umahi also visited the Benin-Warri Road and disclosed plans for a broader redesign of major roads across Edo State.
He said President Bola Tinubu had directed him to redesign roads linking Kogi to Warri and other major routes across Edo State, with concrete pavement being considered for the reconstruction.
“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,” he said.
Umahi explained that some of the affected roads required complete reconstruction rather than repeated temporary repairs.
He also praised Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, for intervening on several federal roads in the state and encouraged other governors to support efforts aimed at improving critical infrastructure.
Okpebholo said the President’s intervention showed concern for the difficulties being faced by motorists and other road users along the corridor.
The Chief Executive Officer of BAECC, Samuel Daramola, attributed some of the delays to heavy rainfall and the volume of traffic on the highway.
“We are battling with weather; as much as we want to keep to the scope of work. We expected our palliative work to have been completed long ago,” Daramola said.
He explained that the concessionaire had struggled to balance drainage construction with the need to maintain traffic flow on the busy highway.
“How do we start with drains when there is heavy traffic? We have tried to engage all parties and communities. We are determined to ensure we complete this road. We have reputation to maintain,” he said.
However, the project consultant’s representative, Toyin Akinlapa, disputed the explanation regarding the sequence of work.
Akinlapa said the concessionaire had been advised to construct the drainage system before removing the existing asphalt but failed to follow the recommendation.
“We told them to first do the drains but they ignored us and that affected the road. The company had some challenges in their technical team,” he said.
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Works, Akin Alabi, also called for a review of the Benin-Asaba concession agreement.
Alabi said the government should review similar concession arrangements to ensure private operators deliver infrastructure according to approved standards.
“The people want to see good roads. There must be palliative measures. Let us come up with a solution where people can move,” he said.
The inspection followed mounting complaints about the Benin-Asaba highway, with motorists reportedly spending days navigating severely damaged sections and heavy traffic.
The highway was concessioned to BAECC in 2025 for conversion into a 10-lane highway, with the concessionaire announcing in October 2025 that it planned to complete the project within the stipulated timeframe.
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