The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has apologised to commuters and residents of Edo and Delta states for the deplorable condition of the Benin-Sapele Road, which has caused untold hardship.

The minister also ordered the arrest of the contractor and concessionaire, as well as others found removing asphalt from federal roads without authorisation.

Mr Umahi offered the apology and issued the directive on Tuesday in Benin during an inspection tour of some major roads in Edo.

The minister thanked Edo youths for remaining calm despite the hardship caused by the condition of the road, noting that their restraint helped prevent a possible breakdown of law and order.

He expressed disappointment with the concessionaire handling the road, accusing the company of lacking the technical competence required to execute the project.

Mr Umahi said he had personally observed the removal of asphalt from the road during an earlier inspection with Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo and directed the contractor to stop the practice.

According to him, the Ministry of Works does not permit contractors to remove asphalt from federal roads without authorisation, describing such acts as “destruction of public infrastructure.”

He therefore directed all ministry controllers to arrest any contractor or concessionaire found removing asphalt from federal roads without approval.

The minister criticised the concessionaire’s handling of the project, alleging that its lack of technical capacity had subjected commuters and residents to untold hardship.

He said the federal government had a responsibility to ensure that concessionaires possessed the necessary technical competence before being awarded road projects.

Mr Umahi maintained that the concessionaire had no reputation for competence and integrity before taking over construction of the Benin-Agbor Road.

The minister further said President Bola Tinubu had taken note of the suffering of road users and directed the Ministry of Works to do everything necessary to restore the road and ease the people’s suffering.

He explained that although concession agreements were governed by law, the government could invoke overriding public interest where necessary to protect citizens and critical infrastructure.

The minister reiterated his apology to commuters, residents of Edo and Delta, and other road users affected by the road’s poor condition.

He assured them of the immediate rehabilitation of the road to bring relief to the people, in line with Mr Tinubu’s directive.

Mr Umahi added that the government would prioritise people’s welfare and safety.

He thanked Mr Okpebholo for his commitment to infrastructure development and for intervening in the rehabilitation of federal roads in Edo.

Responding, Mr Okpebholo appealed to residents and youths in the affected areas to remain patient and exercise restraint over the deplorable condition of the road.

The governor recalled the poor state of the Benin-Ekpoma road, saying President Tinubu had promised to reconstruct it after their meeting and had fulfilled the promise.

He said Edo’s strategic location made it a gateway to several regions, warning that unrest in the state could have consequences for the entire country.

The chief executive officer of the concessionaire, Samuel Daramola, blamed the slow pace of work on heavy rains, saying the company had resorted to palliative works to allow traffic to move.

Mr Daramola maintained that one of the first things the company did after taking over construction of the Benin-Agbor Road was to expand the road.

He said the company started with palliative works because of the numerous potholes on the road, to make access easier for commuters.

(NAN)