The Minister of Works, Sen. Engr. David Umahi has assured motorists and host communities along the Benin-Asaba Highway of urgent intervention to ease the hardship caused by the ongoing reconstruction and expansion of the 125-kilometre corridor.
Umahi gave the assurance on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, during an on-the-spot assessment of the affected sections of the highway, where he expressed concern over the condition of the road and the slow pace of work by the concessionaire, Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company Limited (BAECC).
According to an official statement signed by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Mohammed A. Ahmed, the Minister, who was accompanied by members of the National Assembly Committees on Works, Edo State Governor, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, representatives of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), the Managing Director/CEO of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and other stakeholders, criticised the concessionaire for what he described as unprofessional conduct.
Umahi said the methodology adopted by BAECC was adversely affecting road users, host communities and the pace of construction, noting that the concessionaire had failed to comply with engineering best practices despite repeated warnings from the Ministry and the project’s Independent Engineer, Messrs Yolas Consultants Limited.
“You are not adhering to engineering best practices in road construction and your methodology is adversely impacting road users, host neighborhoods and the pace of work,” the Minister told the concessionaire.
The Minister also apologised to Nigerians for the hardship being experienced along the corridor, particularly on critically bad portions of the highway.
He expressed displeasure over the removal of asphalt from portions of the existing carriageway that were still smooth, noting that such action had damaged already stabilised road substructures.
Umahi consequently directed all Federal Controllers of Works and Engineering Representatives to ensure the immediate arrest of any contractor who completely removes asphalt from an existing road carriageway.
He said the Federal Government would not tolerate construction practices that unnecessarily worsen the condition of roads and increase the burden on motorists.
As an immediate measure, the Minister announced that a competent contractor would be engaged to remedy the critically bad portions of the Benin-Asaba Highway and facilitate smoother movement of traffic.
He assured motorists and host communities that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, was concerned about their plight and that steps were being taken to provide relief.
The Benin-Asaba Highway, which links Benin City in Edo State with Asaba in Delta State, is a strategic Federal highway connecting the South-South, South-East and parts of the South-West regions. It serves as a major route for passenger and freight movement, commercial activities and regional connectivity.
The road is one of the pilot corridors under the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI), Phase I, being implemented through a Public-Private Partnership arrangement.
Explaining the slow pace of work, the Managing Director/CEO of BAECC, Mr. Samuel Daramola, attributed the delay to the heavy volume of traffic on the highway and torrential rainfall along the corridor.
Umahi, however, rejected the explanations as “unprofessional and untenable excuses,” stressing the need for the concessionaire to deploy appropriate engineering solutions to the challenges confronting the project.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Sen. Allwell Onyesoh, and his House counterpart, Hon. Akin Alabi, expressed empathy with motorists and host communities, describing the situation they witnessed as “an unacceptable disaster.”
They pledged to undertake a holistic review of concession agreements across the country to ensure strict compliance with contractual obligations.
Also, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, South South Zone, Mrs. Gift Johnbull, assured residents that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, was aware of their difficulties and had directed that lasting solutions be found.
Edo State Governor, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, appealed for patience from motorists and residents, assuring them that measures initiated by the Minister would address the situation.
A follow-up meeting involving stakeholders in the project is scheduled for Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at the Edo State Government House.
Meanwhile, the visitation team inspected other road projects in Edo State, including the reconstruction of 23 kilometres of failed sections of the Benin-Sapele-Warri Road using Continuous Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP).
The project, being undertaken by the Edo State Government on behalf of the Federal Government, has reached about 75 per cent completion. Umahi expressed satisfaction with the quality and pace of work being executed by CBC Global Civil and Building Construction (Nig.) Limited.
The team also inspected the reconstruction of a 10-kilometre stretch of the Benin-Sapele-Warri Road, Section I, Phase 2, being executed by CCECC (Nigeria) Limited. The project has attained about 25 per cent completion and is progressing on CRCP.
In a further intervention, the Managing Director/CEO of the NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, pledged that the commission would reconstruct a critically failed 15.4-kilometre stretch of the Benin-Sapele Road between Edo and Delta states.
Umahi welcomed the intervention and directed officials of the Ministry and the NDDC to work together on the modalities for executing the project.
