The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has commended Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, for his intervention in the rehabilitation of federal roads across the state, even as he apologised to commuters over the deplorable condition of the Benin-Agbor Road.
Umahi, who spoke in Benin City on Tuesday during an inspection tour of major federal roads in Edo State alongside Governor Okpebholo, also ordered the arrest of contractors and concessionaires found removing asphalt from federal roads without authorisation.
The minister expressed disappointment with the concessionaire handling the Benin-Agbor Road project, accusing the company of lacking the technical capacity required to execute the project effectively.
He said he had personally observed the removal of asphalt from the road during an earlier inspection with Governor Okpebholo and directed the contractor to immediately stop the practice.
According to Umahi, the Federal Ministry of Works does not permit the unauthorised removal of asphalt from federal roads, describing the practice as a destruction of public infrastructure.
He said: “I commend Governor Monday Okpebholo for his intervention in lots of federal roads across the state. He is not saying this is a federal or state road. I apologise to commuters plying this road—the people of Edo, the people of Delta State and all the people using this road.”
The minister said the Federal Government would take necessary steps to restore the road and alleviate the hardship faced by commuters, noting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had taken note of the situation.
Umahi also directed ministry controllers to arrest any contractor or concessionaire found removing asphalt from federal roads without the requisite approval.
He said the Federal Government had a responsibility to ensure that companies awarded road projects possessed the necessary technical competence and track record.
The minister further warned that the continued deterioration of the road could create serious security challenges, stressing the need to restore the road before public frustration escalated.
Responding, Governor Okpebholo appealed to residents and youths in communities along the affected section to remain calm, assuring them that President Tinubu was responsive to the concerns of Edo people.
The governor said the President had demonstrated genuine concern by promptly sending the Minister of Works to inspect the road and assess the situation firsthand.
“Our president is the man that listens to his children. Something like this happened on that road in the past; there was traffic that lasted for over three months.
“The cry over the Benin-Agbor Road happened a few days ago. Now, the president has sent the minister to come and see things for himself and take the message back to him,” Okpebholo said.
He urged Edo residents not to be misled by what he described as opposition narratives on social media, maintaining that President Tinubu meant well for the state.
The governor recalled that he had previously raised concerns over the deplorable condition of the Benin-Ekpoma Road with President Tinubu, who, he said, assured him that the road would be reconstructed.
Okpebholo further stressed the strategic importance of Edo State as a major gateway connecting the South-South, South-West and northern parts of Nigeria, noting that instability on major roads in the state could have wider implications for the country.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of the concessionaire, Samuel Daramola, attributed the slow pace of work on the Benin-Agbor Road to heavy rainfall, saying the company had resorted to palliative measures to keep traffic moving.
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