.. to be installed with digital cameras- Edafe
… appreciates patience of motorists, road users, host communities
The Benin- Asaba Expressway Concession Company (BARCC) has said that it would construct the Benin- Asaba Expressway in line with international best standards within set timelines adding that the road will be installed with digital cameras for surveillance while appreciating the patience of motorists, other road users and the host communities.
This disclosure was made by the Chief Executive officer (CEO) Mr Edafe Shingle in a press briefing recently in Benin City the Edo State capital.
According to Mr Edafe, “Our mission remains clear; to deliver a road that meets global benchmarks of safety, quality, and durability. We appreciate the patience of road users and host communities as we make steady progress.
The 125 kilometer road starting from Benin City in Edo State through to Summit junction in Asaba, Delta State, expected to be completed in 3 years is being executed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), of build, maintain and transfer (BOT)model with the Federal government through the PPP unit of the Federal Ministry of Works and is designed to ensure a long life span.
The project aims to minimize travel disruptions while ensuring a smoother commuting experience. Once completed, it will significantly reduce travel time, enhance safety, and boost trade connectivity across the South-South and South-East regions.
According to Mr Edafe, “We would have started the full construction immediately we commenced work but based on the Federal Ministry of Works request that we make the road motorable first, so we had to respond to that call to ensure that we make the road motorable before we start the full construction and that has been achieved. Now if you go to the Winners Church axis of the road, you can see that we are already taking the full breadth of the road and the full alignment and what you are going to see next is the drainages going to follow on both sides and then the full construction work will begin.
“So as I speak to you now, full work has begun. Then you asked about how we are going to take right-of-way all through from CBN.
“Yes, we know that this is a heavily built-up area and if the federal government has said, this is what we want to do, we want to dualise it, we want to make it a 10-lane, there are provisions for it, there is a programme of work for it as well. Yes, there are some institutions that are federal government institutions, the government knows as well. And plans are also being made at the moment to accommodate them. Someone mentioned Holy Aruosa church. Again, that’s a historical monument. I can also tell everyone here that plans are also on the way to ensure that those structures are accommodated. But as events unfold, we are going to take the right-of-way from Ring Road to where we are working. Like I said, it’s a project. We are listening to the people and accommodating their concerns so that people can have enough time to accommodate the changes that are coming. There is a process for compensation which starts with enumeration, that is, taking a count of the number of buildings within your right of way and the state and the federal government will be handling that and once that is done, the next stage is to verify documentation which will also be handled between the state and the federal government before compensation.
Mr Edafe pointed out that the whole stretch of the road which is going to have four toll Plazas is going to be maintained by BAECC for 25 years after completion before being transferred to the Federal government, adding that digital cameras would be installed for surveillance as it is done in other parts of the world.
“So in a concession project of this nature, it’s a full package. That’s build, operate, and transfer. The building phase is where we are now, building the entire road.Operation covers both maintenance, safety, and So the same BAECC is going to be maintaining this road for 25 years and it is going to have digital cameras for 24 hours surveillance and our software programme will indicate anywhere in the stretch of the road that is failing so that we can attend to such failing portion immediately.
Reinforcing its community-centered approach, BAECC, through its Community Liaison Officer, Engineer Jude Odogwu noted that BAECC has strengthened partnerships with community leaders along the corridor as well as local security outfits. These collaborations have fostered mutual trust among host communities. Regular town hall engagements also ensure transparency and continuous dialogue throughout the project.
According to Dr. Jerry Adeyeri Head of Public Communications, community engagement remains at the heart of BAECC’s approach.
“We’re maintaining open communication channels with host communities and commuters, ensuring they remain informed and part of this transformation. Every milestone achieved reflects collective effort — from our engineers to local partners — all working towards one goal, progress,” he noted.