Okpebholo Threatens Arrest of Contractor Over Abandoned Benin Abraka Road Project.

Okpebholo Threatens Arrest of Contractor Over Abandoned Benin Abraka Road Project.

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has threatened to arrest the contractor handling a section of the Benin Abraka Road over alleged abandonment of the project despite payment made under the previous administration.

Okpebholo made the statement while addressing members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during his ongoing engagements in Orhionmwon and Uhunmwode Local Government Areas of Edo State.

According to the governor, the Benin Abraka Road project was divided between two contractors before his administration assumed office. He said one contractor had progressed to about 75 per cent completion, while the other had allegedly abandoned its assigned section despite receiving payment.

“Following the agreement that was signed by Obaseki’s administration, that road construction project was paid for before I became governor,” Okpebholo said, according to reports of his remarks. He alleged that the contractor responsible for the affected section had failed to continue work, contributing to difficulties faced by motorists and residents.

The governor further stated that contractual arrangements inherited from the previous administration had initially limited his ability to intervene directly. He, however, said the situation had become a matter requiring action and declared that he would arrest the contractor.

The latest development comes shortly after the Edo State Government announced the revocation and planned re-award of the contract covering the failed section of the road at Ikpe Waterside in Orhionmwon Local Government Area.

Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa disclosed the revocation and re-award decision in September following protests by residents and community leaders over the deteriorating condition of the road. The government said the affected stretch would be handed to another contractor for completion.

The Benin Abraka Road has faced prolonged scrutiny over project execution and contract management. In 2024, the Edo State Assets Verification Committee raised questions about changes to the cost of the Phase 1C project, which was originally awarded at N8 billion and subsequently reviewed to N12 billion and then N16 billion. Punch reported that the committee called for further investigation into the contract variations.

Earlier reports identified the Phase 1C project as a 17.5 kilometre section awarded to Nsik Engineering Company Limited in May 2023, with construction commencing later that year.

The governor’s latest comments place renewed attention on the responsibility of contractors and government authorities to ensure that publicly funded infrastructure projects are completed in accordance with contractual obligations. The allegations concerning payment and abandonment are statements attributed to the governor; no response from the contractor was identified in the reports reviewed for this article.

For communities and motorists who depend on the Benin Abraka corridor, the government’s revocation and re-award decision represents the latest administrative step in efforts to address the road’s condition. The effectiveness of the intervention will ultimately depend on the commencement, financing and completion of the replacement contract.