The Federal Government has taken over emergency rehabilitation of the 125-kilometre Benin-Asaba Road after worsening deterioration of the strategic corridor triggered severe gridlock, prolonged travel delays and growing hardship for motorists and businesses.
President Bola Tinubu, represented by Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo, inaugurated the emergency intervention in Benin on Thursday, saying the decision followed the failure of the concessionaire, Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company (BAECC), to deliver the road in line with the terms of its Public-Private Partnership agreement.
Tinubu said the concession arrangement was expected to deliver the road within three years but that the pace and manner of execution had fallen short of expectations, leaving motorists and communities along the corridor to bear the consequences.
‘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,’ the President said.
The Benin-Asaba corridor is a major transport artery linking Edo and Delta states with other parts of the country and carries significant passenger and freight traffic, making its deteriorating condition a major concern for commerce and logistics in the South-South.
David Umahi, Minister of Works, said the Federal Ministry of Works had commenced immediate palliative rehabilitation after efforts to secure the cooperation of the concessionaire failed.
Umahi clarified that the emergency works were not awarded to Hi-Tech or another contractor, explaining that the ministry hired equipment directly for the intervention. He said more than 50 pieces of equipment had been deployed, with additional machinery expected.
According to him, major contractors had been directed to work on three sections of the road to restore failed portions and ease the hardship faced by motorists. He said the entire corridor would subsequently be redesigned for permanent reconstruction using reinforced concrete pavement.
The minister said the intervention would also address portions where asphalt had been removed, leaving the road base exposed to rainfall and further deterioration.
Okpebholo thanked Tinubu and Umahi for responding to the plight of commuters, urging the contractors to comply strictly with approved specifications and deliver quality work 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.
Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, represented by Information Commissioner Charles Aniagwu, said the intervention was significant to residents and businesses in both states, describing the Benin-Asaba Road as an important link for commerce and social ties.
Meanwhile, Umahi disclosed that the proposed realignment of the Coastal Highway would commence from the Benin bypass through Delta and Bayelsa to Eleme Junction, with the objective of diverting traffic from Benin City and improving connectivity across the Niger Delta.