Most roads in Nigeria have become deplorable. Now, Abubakar Momoh, an engineer and Minister of Regional Development, has joined in bemoaning the condition of the Sapele-Benin Road.
Momoh has thus charged the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to fast-track the reconstruction of the expressway linking Edo and Delta States.
Momoh, who inspected the ongoing reconstruction of the damaged sections of the road in the company of Victor Antai, the NDDC Executive Director (Projects), expressed concern over the deplorable state of the road.
He urged the construction firm to quicken the pace of work to restore the road and ensure the safety of commuters and other road users.
The Minister commended the NDDC for reconstructing the 15.4-kilometre failed sections of the Benin-Sapele Expressway, describing it as a major intervention that would ease movement and boost economic activities in Edo and Delta States.
He assured that the observations made during the inspection would receive the necessary attention, adding that relevant agencies and contractors would be encouraged to take appropriate measures to address the identified defects.
Momoh reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to provide durable road infrastructure to improve transportation and support economic activities in the states along the East-West Road corridor.
The NDDC executive director said the reconstruction would cover approximately 15.4 kilometres and assured that work on the failed sections of the road would be accelerated.
He thanked President Tinubu for his commitment to developing the Niger Delta region, noting that the NDDC Board and management, led by Chiedu Ebie, the Chairman, Samuel Ogbuku, the Managing Director, would deliver on the Commission’s mandate.
Antai said the Commission was committed to fully restoring the road, noting: ‘In the past two months, the road was impassable; trucks were falling over, causing lots of gridlock, but with the intervention of NDDC, none of that is happening again.’
He said further, ‘The damaged sections of the road under repair by NDDC covers15.4 kilometres, but we are taking the repairs in stages because the road is a major artery in the South-South region. Therefore, we can’t shut down the entire stretch at once.’
Michel Isah, the construction firm’s site manager, assured that work would be completed in three months if the weather was favourable. He said the work was delayed due to adverse weather conditions.
According to Seledi Thompson-Wakama, NDDC’s Director, Corporate Affairs, some of the sections inspected were Ibada Elume in Warri-Sapele Local Government Area, Mosogar in Ethiope West LGA, and Okwadede in Sapele LGA.