Benin-Asaba Road: Umahi Orders Concessionaire to Quit Over Poor Work

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has asked the concessionaire handling the Benin-Asaba Road to write to the Federal Government to enable the termination of its contract over what he described as poor performance.

Umahi made the demand on Wednesday in Benin during a stakeholders’ engagement meeting at the Edo State Government House.

The minister also directed the concessionaire to immediately remove all obstructions along the Benin-Asaba Road to restore the free flow of traffic and reduce the hardship experienced by motorists.

“We are therefore pleading with you to give us written approval to proceed in this manner. We believe this is the way forward,” Umahi said.

He subsequently directed that the concessionaire be removed from the project site within the limits of the government’s contractual rights.

“Therefore, our directive going forward is that you should be removed from the site of this project, within the limits of our rights. You have added no value to the project,” he stated.

Umahi directed the Federal Ministry of Works to write to the independent engineer to measure all work carried out on the project, excluding what he described as “negative work.”

He explained that the removal of asphalt contrary to the contract and approved specifications would not be recognised as part of the value of work completed.

According to him, the cost of repairing any damage caused by such activities must also be determined.

The minister said the government was not convinced that the concessionaire currently had the capacity to reinstate the damaged sections of the road.

He warned that continuing with the current construction approach could worsen the situation and create the potential for public disorder along the corridor.

To address the hardship caused by the construction, Umahi directed that affected sections of the highway be reconstructed under the supervision of the independent engineer.

He also instructed the concessionaire to provide a technical design for proper stormwater canalisation, stressing the importance of preventing water from flowing onto the carriageway.

The minister further ordered the restoration of all removed asphalt and the restoration of free traffic flow along the highway.

Responding, the Head of Legal and Compliance of the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company, BAECC, Peterson Fabian, appealed for more time to allow all parties to consider possible solutions.

Fabian said the discussions were not yet conclusive and urged stakeholders to pursue a more collaborative approach.

Meanwhile, Senator Allwell Onyesoh of the Senate Committee on Works described the condition of the road as terrible, saying commuters and other road users had suffered significantly.

He questioned the capacity of the concessionaire to handle such a major infrastructure project.

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, also expressed disappointment over the condition of the road, describing the situation as unacceptable after 16 months.

Okpebholo said the project had become a source of hardship for residents and other road users, particularly people travelling through Edo State.

He urged the Minister of Works to take decisive action, stressing that the Benin-Asaba Road is a major national route and that a lasting solution must be found.