Sunday Dare says poor workmanship contributed to the highway crisis as motorists endure prolonged hardship on the Benin-Asaba corridor
The Presidency has blamed the worsening condition of the Benin-Asaba Expressway on what it described as the contractor’s failure to carry out palliative works professionally.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, made the assertion on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
Dare said the Benin-Asaba road had remained a difficult project across successive administrations, spanning about three or four presidents, but argued that the contractor’s intervention had not been executed to the required professional standards.
He, however, described the situation as an isolated case and cautioned against using the condition of the road to judge the performance of road projects across the country.
The presidential aide spoke amid growing complaints from motorists and commuters over the deplorable condition of the highway, which has resulted in prolonged traffic and hardship for road users.
On Tuesday, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, inspected the Benin-Agbor-Asaba road in Edo State and apologised to commuters over the difficulties caused by its current condition.
The Federal Government has since moved to address the challenges on the strategic highway, which serves as an important transportation link between the South-West and South-South regions.