Federal Government deploys over 50 pieces of equipment as refinery tackles accident-prone sections
The Federal Government and Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Limited have commenced emergency repairs on the deteriorating Benin-Asaba and Benin-Sapele highways respectively, following prolonged gridlock, road accidents and hardship for motorists.
The Federal Government’s intervention covers the 125-kilometre Benin-Asaba Road, while the Edo Refinery is repairing failed sections of the Benin-Sapele highway.
The intervention on the Benin-Asaba Road followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive to address the worsening condition of the major route linking Edo and Delta states with other parts of the country.
Represented by Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, at the inauguration of the emergency intervention on Thursday, President Tinubu said the road had been concessioned under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement to the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company, with an expected completion period of three years.
He, however, said the pace and manner of execution had fallen short of the terms of the concession agreement, resulting in worsening road conditions and hardship for motorists.
“We are here today not to witness the commencement of another road project. We are witnessing the response of a government that has heard the cries of its people and has chosen to act. That is why today’s intervention is truly a rescue operation,” he said.
Okpebholo thanked the President for responding to complaints from commuters and communities along the corridor and commended the Minister of Works, David Umahi, for his intervention.
The governor urged the contractors handling the emergency works to comply with approved specifications and complete the repairs within the agreed timeframe.
Umahi said the Federal Ministry of Works had taken over the immediate palliative rehabilitation of the road in the interest of the public.
He clarified that the temporary works were not awarded to Hi-Tech or any other contractor, explaining that the ministry had hired equipment for the emergency intervention.
According to him, more than 50 pieces of equipment had already been deployed, with additional equipment expected.
Umahi said the Federal Government decided to intervene after efforts to secure the cooperation of the concessionaire failed.
He said the government subsequently directed major contractors to work on three sections of the Benin-Asaba Road to restore failed portions and ease the difficulties faced by motorists.
The minister added that the entire route would subsequently be redesigned for reconstruction with reinforced concrete pavement.
Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, represented by the Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, described the Benin-Asaba corridor as an important link for commerce and cultural ties between Edo and Delta.
Meanwhile, the Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Limited has commenced palliative repairs on failed sections of the Benin-Sapele Road.
The repairs are being carried out at locations including Iyanomo, Ekosa, Obayantor, Ologbo and Koko Junction in Delta State.
The Head of Technical Operations of the Edo Refinery, Segun Okeni, said the intervention was aimed at preventing further accidents on the highway.
He recalled an incident about five years ago in which a petrol tanker fell at a bad section of the road in Ologbo, resulting in a fire that killed more than 20 people.
Okeni said the poor condition of the road was also affecting the refinery’s operations, as tankers sometimes spent days on the highway before reaching the facility to load products.
He said the refinery undertook the repairs as part of its corporate social responsibility after communities appealed for assistance.
“Our chairman was around during that period, and he saw the level of damage to the road, and even on that same day, we had like five trucks that fell along the road. He authorised that we should undertake the repairs,” he said.
Managing Director of SODEOSA Global Resources, Solomon Uyiekpen, said commuters had endured significant difficulties on the road before the intervention.
A member of the Obayantor community, Kennedy Nwazekwu, also said the repairs would help address recurring accidents, claiming that more than 20 people had died after vehicles fell into ditches along the road.