*Calls stakeholders’ meeting to review concession agreement
By Ozioruva Aliu
BENIN CITY – Miffed by the poor state of construction works, the federal government on Tuesday said it would review all concessioned roads across the country to ensure that the terms of contract are met and that they are to the ease of the people.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, said this when he went on an on-the-spot assessment of the concessioned Benin-Asaba Expressway. Umahi has tongue-lashed the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company (BAECC) over poor handling of the project.
He said the company handling the project has ‘failed woefully’in the project, as he said it lacked the technical knowledge to handle the job.
He immediately called a meeting of all the stakeholders at the Edo State government to review the situation, promising that the government would bring a contractor to make the road motorable in the meantime.
Motorists were trapped on the highway for several days due to several failed sections of the road.
The Benin-Asaba highway was concessioned to BAECC in 2025 to turn the road into a 10-lane highway, and it was supposed to complete the work by September 2027, with toll gates to recoup its investment and maintain the road for 25 years.
But Umahi said the Concessionaire would have been arrested for destroying public property because it removed the existing asphalt against advice, exposing the road to hazards.
While commending Governor Monday Okpebholo for his intervention in lots of federal roads across the state, Umahi said, “He is not saying that this is a federal or state road. I apologize to commuters 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.
“The Ministry of Works does not allow removal of asphalt. 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.”
He accused the concessionaire of manipulating 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 an overriding public interest. It is also the government’s fault for not assessing the competence 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 whom we will beg to restore the road.
On his part, the BAECC CEO Samuel Daramola blamed heavy rains for the slow pace of work.
He said heavy vehicular traffic on the highway made the firm unable to construct side drains.
He said, “We expanded the road. We have expanded to eight lanes. We did palliative work for some months. We are wrestling with the weather as we try 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 before it has cured. We have to do the work over again. This is a concession on the road, and we are frustrated 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 a reputation to maintain.”
Chairman, House Committee on Works, Hon Akin Alabi, urged President Tinubu to look at the agreement with the Concessionaire.
“We should review all such contracts. We cannot afford Concessionaires who can be giving us issues. The people want to see good roads. There must be palliative measures. Let us come up with a solution where people can move.”
Representative of the project Consultant, Engr. Toyin Akinlapa, said BAECC refused to heed their instructions to ensure the work was done to standard.
“The Concessionaire did not heed our instructions. We told them to do the drains first, but they ignored us, and that affected the road. The company had some challenges in their technical team.”
Senator Allwell Onyesoh described the situation of the Benin-Asaba highway as despicable.
Governor Monday Okpebholo said President Tinubu’s prompt response showed he cared about the people’s plight.
He urged the people not to listen to opposition comments on social media.
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