- Demands total reconstruction, rejects palliative
The Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, has lambasted the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company (BAECC) over the deteriorating condition of the Benin-Asaba Highway, accusing the concessionaire of lacking the technical competence required to execute the project.
Umahi made the remarks in Benin City while conducting an on-the-spot assessment of the highway following widespread public outrage over its deplorable condition, which has left motorists stranded for days at several failed portions.
The minister expressed particular concern over the removal of existing asphalt without the construction of adequate side drains, warning that such actions amounted to the destruction of public assets.
According to him, the concessionaire would have been arrested for removing asphalt from the existing road without approval.
“I commend Governor Monday Okpebholo for his intervention on several federal roads across the state.
“He is not saying this is a federal or State road. I apologise to commuters plying this road.
“I am disappointed with the concessionaire. I take full responsibility for their misdeeds and destruction of public assets.
“The Ministry of Works does not allow the removal of asphalt. We begged them not to remove it. The concessionaire should have been arrested for destroying public property”, Umahi said.
The minister directed the ministry to arrest any concessionaire found removing asphalt from existing federal roads without authorisation.
Addressing BAECC Chief Executive Officer, Samuel Daramola, the minister accused the company of manipulating the concession process and questioned its technical capacity to handle a major highway project.
“You manipulated 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,” Umahi said.
He added that the Federal Government had been compelled to intervene because of the danger posed to motorists and commuters.
“The President has directed us to do whatever is possible to fix this road. The law is there; there is overriding public interest. It is also the fault of government for not finding out the competency of concessionaires.
“You are learning how to do construction on our road. This is dangerous,” he said.
He further revealed that President Bola Tinubu had directed the redesign of roads from Kogi through Edo State to Warri, with concrete pavement to be considered for the reconstruction.
“We need total reconstruction of this road and not this palliative,” he declared.