Umahi Moves to End Benin-Asaba Road Concession, Orders Immediate Removal of Blockages

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has asked the concessionaire handling the Benin-Asaba Road to formally write to the Federal Government through the Ministry of Works to pave the way for the termination of its contract.

Umahi also directed the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company (BAECC) to immediately remove all blockages on the highway and restore free movement of traffic.

The minister gave the directive on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ engagement meeting at the Edo State Government House in Benin, where he expressed dissatisfaction with the condition of the road and the concessionaire’s handling of the project.

Umahi said the concessionaire should be removed from the project site within the limits of the government’s contractual rights, insisting that it had “added no value” to the project.

He directed the Federal Ministry of Works to engage the independent engineer to assess all work carried out on the road, excluding what he described as “negative work.”

According to him, the removal of asphalt contrary to the contract and project specifications would not be recognised as completed work, while the cost of repairing the damage would also be determined.

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

“We have not stopped you from working, but if you continue doing what you are currently doing, we are not convinced that you will be able to avert the potential for public disorder in that area,” he said.

Umahi directed that affected portions of the road be reconstructed under the supervision of the independent engineer. He also ordered the concessionaire to provide a technical design for proper stormwater canalisation to prevent further damage to the highway.

He further instructed the company to restore all removed asphalt, redirect water currently being channelled onto the carriageway and ensure the free flow of traffic.

Responding, the Head of Legal and Compliance of BAECC, Peterson Fabian, appealed to the government and other stakeholders to allow the company more time to explore possible solutions.

He said the discussions at the meeting were not yet conclusive and called for further engagement among all parties.

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Meanwhile, Senator Allwell Onyesoh, a member of the Senate Committee on Works, described the condition of the Benin-Asaba Road as “terrible,” saying the situation had exposed the risks associated with giving major infrastructure projects to concessionaires without adequate capacity.

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, also expressed disappointment over the state of the road, describing the situation as a waste of resources and a major source of suffering for commuters.

Okpebholo urged the minister to “do the needful,” stressing that the Benin-Asaba Road is a major highway whose poor condition affects thousands of road users.

“If they are competent, by now we should have seen some part of this road completed,” the governor said, adding that Edo residents were watching closely for a lasting solution to the crisis.