morganable politics/Governance
Umahi, who conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the Benin-Asaba road, apologised to commuters and accepted responsibility for the road’s current state.
KaNo—
President Bola Tinubu has directed the redesign and total reconstruction of the Benin-Agbor-Asaba road, also known as the Benin bypass, as part of a broader federal intervention to address the deteriorating condition of major highways across Nigeria.
The directive was issued on Tuesday during an inspection tour led by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, along the troubled Benin-Agbor-Asaba corridor in Edo State.
The move follows mounting public outcry over the deplorable state of federal roads nationwide, which has led to severe traffic congestion, increased transportation costs, and significant economic losses.
Simultaneously, the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, carried out inspections of the Ifaki-Oye-Kabba and Efon-Iwaraja roads in Ekiti State, where road users have also endured prolonged hardship due to poor infrastructure.
Umahi Apologizes To Commuters
Umahi, who conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the Benin-Asaba road, apologised to commuters and accepted responsibility for the road’s current state.
He criticised the concessionaire handling the project, the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concessions Company, accusing it of poor execution and lack of technical competence.
“The President has directed that we do whatever is necessary to fix this road. What we need here is not palliative work but total reconstruction,” Umahi said.
“I take full responsibility for the misdeeds of the concessionaire and the destruction of public assets.”he added
The minister expressed outrage at the removal of asphalt from sections of the road, a move he said worsened its condition. According to him, the Ministry of Works had expressly warned against such actions.
“The ministry does not allow the removal of asphalt. We begged them not to remove it. The road was not like this when it was handed over. Any concessionaire that tampers with existing asphalt should be arrested,” he stated.
The Benin-Asaba Expressway was concessioned to the company in 2025 for expansion from four lanes to 10 lanes.
The contractor had previously assured that the project would be completed within the stipulated timeframe. However, the current state of the road has raised concerns about the company’s capacity to deliver.
Umahi Accuses Contract Company Of Manipulating Contract
“You manipulated the process to get this job. You have no knowledge of road construction. You are learning construction on our roads, and that is dangerous,” the minister said.
He added that the Federal Government would consider engaging more competent contractors to rehabilitate the road, including the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, which may be tasked with fixing critical sections in Asaba.
The minister further disclosed that the President had approved a comprehensive redesign of roads stretching from Kogi to Warri, including major routes within Edo State.
According to him, the reconstruction would adopt concrete pavement technology to ensure durability and long-term sustainability.
While acknowledging government lapses in vetting contractors, Umahi emphasised that public interest would take precedence in reviewing existing agreements.
“We are dealing with both weather challenges and heavy traffic. We expanded the road to eight lanes and carried out palliative work, but the volume of traffic has made it difficult to execute drainage construction effectively,” he said.
He explained that the company had to balance construction activities with keeping the road accessible to motorists, which often required reopening unfinished sections.
“This is a concession project, and we are funding it ourselves. We have a reputation to maintain and are committed to completing the road,” he added.
“The concessionaire did not heed our instructions. We advised them to prioritise drainage before other works, but they ignored this, which has worsened the situation,” Akinlapa said, noting deficiencies in the company’s technical team.
Lawmakers Express Concerns
Lawmakers who joined the inspection also raised concerns about the project. Chairman of the House Committee on Works, Akin Alabi, called for a review of concession agreements to prevent similar issues in future.
“We need to reassess these contracts. Nigerians deserve quality roads. We cannot continue with concessionaires who create more problems,” he said.
Similarly, Senator Allwell Onyesoh described the condition of the Benin-Asaba highway as “despicable” and urged urgent intervention to ease the suffering of road users.
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, commended the Federal Government’s swift response, describing it as a demonstration of President Tinubu’s commitment to addressing the challenges faced by citizens.
Despite these assurances, commuters and residents continue to grapple with the harsh realities of failing infrastructure along the Benin axis of the highway, riddled with potholes and partially washed-away sections, although traffic congestion has slightly eased compared to previous weeks.
Drivers and transport operators lamented the economic impact of the road’s condition, citing increased travel time, higher fuel consumption, and frequent vehicle breakdowns.
“They should have worked on one side of the road while leaving the other for traffic. Instead, both sides were affected, making the situation worse,” he said.
Findings across other parts of the country revealed that the problem is not limited to Edo State.
Several major federal roads remain in poor condition, including the Ibadan-Abeokuta, Lagos-Badagry, and Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa roads in the South-West; Onitsha-Enugu, Enugu-Abakaliki, and Onitsha-Owerri roads in the South-East; and the East-West Road, Warri-Sapele, and Benin-Sapele roads in the South-South.
In the North, critical routes such as Abuja-Kaduna, Abuja-Lokoja, Lokoja-Okene, Kaduna-Kano, Kano-Katsina, and Sokoto-Gusau are also reported to be in varying states of disrepair. Other affected highways include Maiduguri-Damaturu, Bauchi-Jos, and Gombe-Yola roads.
The widespread deterioration of federal highways has heightened calls for comprehensive reforms in road construction and maintenance, including stricter oversight of contractors and improved funding mechanisms.