By Kingsley Ohens

BENIN CITY, EDO STATE — The Federal Government has moved to terminate the concession agreement for the Benin-Asaba Road amid mounting concerns over the worsening condition of the strategic highway and the hardship being faced by motorists and commuters.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, made the position known on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ engagement at the Edo State Government House in Benin City, where he appealed to the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company (BAECC) to formally write to the Federal Government through the Ministry of Works to facilitate the termination of its contract.

Umahi also directed the concessionaire to immediately remove all blockages and obstructions along the affected sections of the road to restore the free flow of traffic.

The Minister said the Federal Government could no longer overlook the state of the project, stressing that works carried out in violation of contractual specifications, particularly the removal of asphalt, would be treated as “negative work” and would not be recognised in assessing the value of work executed.

He further directed the Federal Ministry of Works to engage the Independent Engineer to assess and measure all legitimate works undertaken on the project, while determining the cost of rectifying damage allegedly caused by activities that deviated from the approved specifications.

Umahi expressed doubts over the concessionaire’s capacity to restore the road to the required standard, warning that continued activities without immediate corrective measures could worsen the situation and potentially create public disorder as a result of the prolonged hardship faced by road users.

As part of the immediate intervention, the Minister directed that affected sections of the highway be reconstructed under the supervision of the Independent Engineer. He also ordered the concessionaire to provide a technical design for proper stormwater canalisation, restore damaged asphalt and redirect water currently being channelled onto the carriageway.

Responding on behalf of BAECC, its Head of Legal and Compliance, Peterson Fabian, appealed to the Federal Government and other stakeholders to allow the company additional time for further engagement, arguing that the discussions were not yet conclusive and that more collaborative options could still be explored.

However, Senator Allwell Onyesoh of the Senate Committee on Works described the condition of the road as terrible, reflecting the experience of commuters and other road users.

Onyesoh questioned the capacity of the concessionaire to manage a project of such magnitude, describing the situation as a major lesson for the country in the management of road concessions.

Governor Monday Okpebholo, who also expressed disappointment over the state of the highway, said the engagement had brought important issues to the fore and underscored the urgent need for a lasting solution.

The Governor lamented the suffering endured by motorists, particularly residents of Edo State, and questioned the level of progress recorded on the road after 16 months.

According to him, the condition of the highway does not reflect the level of progress expected on such a major national route, stressing that the people deserve urgent intervention.

Okpebholo urged the Minister of Works to take decisive steps to resolve the crisis, assuring that Edo people were watching developments closely.

He emphasised that the Benin-Asaba Road is too important to remain in its current condition, calling for practical solutions that would restore the highway and ease the burden on commuters.

The stakeholders’ meeting, which brought together federal and state officials and representatives of the concessionaire, therefore ended with renewed emphasis on immediate remedial action, restoration of traffic flow and the need to determine a sustainable framework for completing the strategic road project.

The development was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by Dr. Patrick Akhere Ebojele, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State, following the stakeholders’ engagement in Benin City.