By Lucky Isibor
Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, has berated the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company (BAECC) over what he described as the poor handling and destruction of sections of the Benin-Asaba highway.
Umahi, who conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the road in Benin City following widespread public outcry over its deteriorating condition, accused the concessionaire of lacking the technical expertise required for road construction.
He was particularly displeased with the company for removing the existing asphalt without first constructing side drains, a development he said contributed to the worsening condition of the highway.
The minister also apologised to motorists and commuters who had been stranded on the road for days following the failure of several sections.
The Benin-Asaba highway was concessioned to BAECC in 2025 for conversion into a 10-lane highway. The company had said in October last year that it would complete the project within the stipulated timeframe.
However, Umahi said the concessionaire could have been arrested for destroying public property and accused the company of manipulating the process through which it secured the concession.
He said: “I commend Governor Monday Okpebholo for his intervention in lots of federal roads across the state. He is not saying this is federal or state road. I apologise to comuters plying this road. The NDDC is willing to intervene. I am disappointed with the Concessionaire. I take full responsibility for their misdeed and destruction of public assets.
“Ministry of Work does not allow removal of asphault. We begged them not to remove it. The Concessionaire should have been arrested for destroying public property. This road was not like this when it was handed over. I am instructing the Ministry to arrest any Concessionaire that remove asphault from existing roads.”
Addressing the Chief Executive Officer of BAECC, Samuel Daramola, the minister said the company lacked the competence to execute the project.
Umahi said: “You manipulate the process to get the job. You have no knowledge of road construction. 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 law is there, there is overiding public interest. It is also the fault of government for not finding out competency of Concessionaires. You are learning how to do construction on our road. This is dangerous. This is provocation at its highest level. It is a pity when people cannot pass the road. We have competent contractors who we will beg to restore the road. We will be asking CCETC to fix the bad spot in Asaba.
“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. We need total reconstruction of this road and not this palliative.”
Responding, the BAECC CEO, Mr. Daramola blamed the slow pace of work on heavy rainfall and the volume of vehicular traffic on the highway.
He said the company had expanded portions of the road to eight lanes and carried out palliative works, but was constrained by the need to keep traffic moving while construction was ongoing.
According to him, “We expanded the road. We have expanded to eight lanes. We did palliative work for some months. We are wrestling 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. We have to choose between doing side drains and combating heavy traffic. We are compelled to open the road when it is yet to cure. We have to do the work over again. This is consession road and we are funding this road with our money.
“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.”
The Chairman of the House Committee on Works, Hon. Akin Alabi, urged President Bola Tinubu to review the agreement with the concessionaire.
“We should review all such contract. We cannot afford Concessionaires who can be giving us issues. The people want to see good roads. There must be a palliative measures. Let us come up with a solution where people can move.”
The representative of the project consultant, Engr. Toyin Akinlapa, also faulted the concessionaire, saying the company failed to follow technical instructions issued by the consultants.
He said: “The Concessionaire did not heed to our instruction. 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.”
Senator Allwell Onyesoh described the condition of the Benin-Asaba highway as “despicable.”
Governor Monday Okpebholodescribed President Tinubu’s prompt response to the situation as a demonstration of his concern for the plight of the people.
He urged residents to disregard what he described as opposition comments on social media.