Presidency Pins Benin-Agbor-Asaba Road Collapse on Contractor

The Nigerian Presidency has clarified that the recent deterioration of a section of the Benin-Agbor-Asaba Expressway is an isolated incident, directly attributing the fault to the contractor responsible for the project. Following the swift deployment of key government officials to the affected area, the Federal Government has demanded immediate corrective action from the firm.

This position was articulated by Sunday Dare, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, during an appearance on Channels Television on Wednesday. Dare was responding to widespread concerns regarding the highway's condition and President Bola Tinubu's subsequent directive for its comprehensive redesign and reconstruction.

Dare emphasized that this particular road issue should not be used as a general benchmark for evaluating the state of federal road projects nationwide. He highlighted that numerous other federal roads have either been completed or are progressing satisfactorily without similar complaints. "I think that first, these are isolated cases. And we all know by the nature of road construction, during rainy season, you encounter problems like this," he stated.

He further explained that while the government is responsible for identifying roads needing repair and securing the necessary funding, contractors bear the responsibility for proper project execution. Referring to the recent inspection, Dare noted, "Whatever played out yesterday, we had all the stakeholders there. And it’s important that even the contractor came out, even though he gave excuses, it showed a failure on their part."

These remarks came a day after the Minister of Works, David Umahi, personally inspected the heavily damaged Benin-Agbor-Asaba road in Edo State. Umahi offered an apology to commuters for the deplorable conditions and publicly condemned the concessionaire tasked with its reconstruction. He then ordered a complete overhaul of the road, concluding that temporary palliative measures would be insufficient.

A visit by The PUNCH to the Benin section of the expressway on Tuesday confirmed its poor state, although the heavy traffic congestion that had persisted for approximately two weeks had reportedly eased.

Dare lauded the prompt intervention by the Works Minister, National Assembly members, and other stakeholders as evidence of the government's proactive approach to infrastructure challenges. He reiterated the division of responsibilities: "Government has a responsibility to identify the roads that need to be fixed. Government has a responsibility to provide the funding. And then, the next responsibility goes to the contractors to do what is necessary."

He added, "What we saw yesterday, the Minister, the National Assembly members, and other key stakeholders going there in record time, right on the spot. And I think that’s what good governance is about, responding as quickly and as swiftly as possible, putting the blame where it is, and requesting for immediate action."

Dare maintained that the Benin-Asaba situation was not indicative of all ongoing federal road initiatives. "I said these are isolated, but we have quite a number of other roads where there are no complaints, where the roads have been fixed," he asserted. He also urged motorists to tolerate some inconveniences as road construction projects progress across the country, describing solutions as "progressive."

Recounting a recent trip along the Abuja-Lokoja corridor with about 65 journalists, Dare mentioned observing completed sections of the road, including areas where concrete construction was underway. "A 100% solution, and I… you know, solutions are progressive," he said, drawing an analogy to house construction: "It’s like a house construction; a house is not built in a day, it’s progressive. Until the roof comes on, the rain will still pour down on the building."

Currently, the Federal Government is undertaking significant road projects nationwide, encompassing five legacy roads and approximately 320 other routes. Dare affirmed that President Tinubu is fully abreast of these developments, highlighting the administration's commitment to infrastructure. "Is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on top of what’s happening? Absolutely," he confirmed, adding, "We’re talking about 5 legacy roads; we’re talking about 320 roads across the length and breadth of our country."

The renewed focus on the Benin-Agbor-Asaba corridor by the Federal Government stems from numerous complaints regarding the deteriorating road, which has severely hampered transportation, caused damage to vehicles, and escalated the costs of movement and commerce along the vital route.