Umahi Orders Emergency Repairs on Benin-Asaba Road

The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has ordered the immediate mobilisation of major contractors to all three sections of the troubled Benin-Asaba Road, saying that public interest must take precedence over the existing concession agreement.

Umahi, on Wednesday, said the deteriorating condition of the highway had reached a stage where the Federal Government could no longer allow contractual constraints to delay urgent intervention.

He said, “The Benin-Asaba Road situation has reached a point where overall public interest must take precedence over the existing concession agreement.”

The minister recalled that during his recent inspection of the road, he assembled contractors and directed them to prepare for palliative works. However, he said the concession agreement required the concessionaire's approval before the Federal Government could intervene.

According to him, the concessionaire did not grant the required permission.

Umahi said he subsequently presented three options to the concessionaire, but none was accepted. He added that after his departure from Asaba, the equipment deployed to the road was reduced to just one machine, making meaningful intervention impossible.

He has now directed the immediate mobilisation of major contractors to the three sections of the road, with the Federal Government to bear the cost of the emergency works.

The minister also ordered the immediate redesign of the entire Benin-Asaba route for reinforced concrete pavement, describing the measure as a more durable solution to the recurring deterioration of the highway.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has commenced emergency repairs on the ageing First Niger Bridge, popularly known as the Onitsha Headbridge.

The bridge was closed to traffic on September 7 for emergency maintenance expected to last until September 21.

The intervention includes the removal of the deteriorated asphalt surface and the laying of an approximately 40mm asphalt wearing course, as well as repairs to damaged bridge components affected by vandalism.

Motorists have been directed to use the Second Niger Bridge through Obosi to Asaba and other destinations during the closure.

Solar-powered streetlights and CCTV cameras are also to be installed around the bridge as part of measures to improve security and curb vandalism.

Umahi further disclosed that other critical federal highways were receiving urgent attention, including the Benin-Sapele, Ifaki-Kabba, Sokoto-Zamfara-Katsina, Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano, Bauchi-Jigawa, Sagamu-Ore, East-West, Abuja-Lokoja, Lokoja-Benin-Warri and sections of the Lagos-Ibadan highways.