Umahi tell Benin Asaba Road Concessionaire make dem comot for Project as Federal Government dey move to stop di bad traffic jam.
Federal Government don order di company wey dey handle Benin Asaba Expressway make dem comot for di project, after plenty concern about di poor speed and quality of di work and di serious wahala wey motorists dey face for di important road.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, give di order for Wednesday, August 26, 2026, during meeting with stakeholders for Benin City, Edo State. Di order come after he inspect di 125 kilometre road wey dey face plenty problem.
Umahi tell Benin Asaba Expressway Concession Company Limited (BAECC) make dem formally write to Federal Government through Ministry of Works so government fit end dia involvement for di project. He also order say dem for immediately clear anything wey dey block road and dey cause traffic jam, and dem for take urgent steps so traffic fit move freely again for di road.
Di minister take di decision after plenty complaints from public about long traffic jam, bad sections of di road and di hardship wey commuters, commercial drivers and people wey dey live for communities along Benin Agbor Asaba corridor dey face.
Umahi criticize di way di concessionaire dey carry out di construction, especially di way dem dey remove old asphalt without first putting proper drainage work for place. According to reports from di inspection, Ministry of Works and di independent engineer for di project don already raise concern about di method wey di company dey use.
Di minister say di slow work from di company don make di road condition worse. Reports say di concessionaire get 36 months to complete di project, but after about 16 months, dem don only complete around 10 per cent of di work. Dis one don raise question about whether di company fit finish di project within di agreed time.
Umahi also order Federal Controllers of Works and Engineering Representatives make dem take action against contractors wey dey remove asphalt from existing roads without proper approval. He say to destroy road infrastructure without making proper replacement fit put motorists and communities for more danger.
Di Benin Asaba highway dem concession to BAECC for 2025 as part of plan to turn di corridor into 10 lane expressway. Di project suppose improve movement between Edo and Delta states and help business activities along one of di important transport routes for southern Nigeria.
But di concessionaire don disagree with government assessment about wetin cause di delay. BAECC Managing Director, Samuel Daramola, reportedly say heavy traffic and plenty rainfall along di corridor na some of di things wey dey affect di work. He maintain say di company still dey committed to completing di project.
Federal Government don also indicate say dem go review concession arrangements for major roads across di country to make sure private operators dey follow dia contract obligations and road projects dey give di public di benefit wey dem suppose get. Channels Television report say government response include plans to provide immediate relief for Benin Asaba corridor while dem dey consider longer term reconstruction options.
Di matter don bring fresh attention to Nigeria road concession system, especially di need for stronger technical supervision, clear contract standards and proper measures to protect road users whenever big infrastructure projects delay or no meet agreed targets.
For motorists and communities wey depend on Benin Asaba corridor, di main thing now na to make road safe and allow traffic move well again. Di latest government order therefore show say government don increase pressure over di bad condition of di highway and fit change di way dem go handle di project from now.