Umahi says concessionaire lacks capacity after 16 months as FG orders urgent measures to ease gridlock on 125km highway.
The Federal Government has appealed to the concessionaire handling the reconstruction of the Benin-Asaba Highway to allow the Federal Ministry of Works to engage competent contractors to execute the project, citing concerns over the concessionaire’s capacity.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, made the appeal on Wednesday at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Edo State Government House in Benin City to address the persistent gridlock and complaints from motorists along the 125-kilometre highway.
Umahi said the concessionaire, Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company (BAECC), had failed to add value to the project 16 months after work commenced.
He appealed to the company to grant the ministry written approval to bring in competent contractors to carry out the necessary reconstruction and restore the highway.
The minister also directed BAECC to urgently clear all obstructions on the road, restore removed asphalt, redirect water flowing onto the carriageway and provide a technical design for proper stormwater canalisation.
He said affected sections should be reconstructed under the supervision of the Independent Engineer, while the ministry would assess completed work and exclude what he described as “negative work” caused by the removal of asphalt contrary to project specifications.
Umahi warned that the continued deterioration of the highway could create further hardship for motorists and potentially lead to public disorder, stressing that urgent corrective measures were necessary.
Responding, BAECC’s Head of Legal and Compliance, Peterson Fabian, appealed for more time for further discussions, saying stakeholders should work collaboratively to find a lasting solution.
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, expressed disappointment over the condition of the highway, saying the level of work achieved after 16 months did not justify the resources committed to the project.
He questioned the competence of the concessionaire and urged the minister to take decisive action, stressing that Edo residents were closely monitoring developments.
Senator Allwell Onyesoh of the Senate Committee on Works also criticised the concession arrangement, describing the condition of the highway as a major lesson for Nigeria’s concession policy.