The Presidency has blamed the contractor handling the Benin-Agbor-Asaba Expressway for the road’s recent deterioration and severe gridlock, following days of disruption along the major corridor linking Edo and Delta states.
Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, made the disclosure while speaking on Channels Television, saying the Federal Government had moved to address the situation and demanded immediate corrective action.
Umahi Criticises Concessionaire
The development follows widespread complaints from motorists and passengers who reported being stranded for days because of failed sections, heavy congestion and diversions along the route.
Minister of Works David Umahi inspected the highway on Tuesday, apologised to commuters and criticised the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company (BAECC), which received the concession to expand and reconstruct the road under a public-private partnership.
Umahi accused the company of lacking the required technical competence, alleging that it removed sections of the existing asphalt without first providing adequate drainage infrastructure.
He said temporary palliative work would not be enough and that the affected road requires total reconstruction.
Tinubu Orders Road Redesign
President Tinubu has directed the redesign of the Benin-Agbor-Asaba road and other major federal highways in the region.
The Presidency said the reconstruction would involve concrete pavement, while the government is also reviewing the existing concession agreement and considering the involvement of more competent contractors in urgent restoration work.
The intervention follows mounting public frustration over the condition of the highway, which has become a major route for the movement of people and goods between the South-South and South-East.
Government Reviews Concession
The Benin-Asaba Expressway was concessioned for 25 years, with the original project timeline targeting completion around 2027.
The Presidency described the current road failure as an isolated incident but stressed that contractors must execute major infrastructure projects properly and meet the required technical standards.
The government’s response now centres on redesigning the corridor, reviewing the concession arrangement and restoring movement along one of the region’s key transport routes.
