It was not a good outing for the chief executive officer of the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company, (BAECC) Samuel Daramola, who was publicly tongue-lashed by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, for poor handling of the deplorable federal highway which had caused untold hardship to commuters, with many stranded on the road for days.
In what was apparently a self-indictment for lack of due diligence in the award of the contract, Umahi, an engineer, accused Daramola of manipulating the bidding process to get the job despite knowing that the company lacked the technical know-how in road construction.
Though the contractor insisted the company had a reputation to maintain and was determined to complete the job, blaming the delay on the rains, the project’s consultants however threw spanner in the works, accusing the firm of not heeding their instructions to ensure that the job met the required standard.
The minister, who on Tuesday, visited the failed portion of the road on the Benin, Edo State axis for an on-the-spot-assessment of the situation, was particularly aghast that the company removed existing layers of asphalt on the road and did not construct side drains before embarking on the construction of the main road.
Umahi said the contractor ought to have been arrested for destroying public property.
Recall that the Benin-Asaba Highway was concessioned to BAECC in 2025 to upgrade the road to a 10-lane highway, with the company assuring in October last year that it would be completed within the given time frame.
Minister Umahi commended Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State, “for his intervention in lots of federal roads across the state,” emphasising that “He is not saying this is a federal or state road.”
He apologised to commuters plying the road, saying that “The NDDC is willing to intervene. I am disappointed with the Concessionaire. I take full responsibility for their misdeed and destruction of public assets.”
According to him, “Ministry of Work does not allow removal of asphalt. We begged them not to remove it. The Concessionaire should have been arrested for destroying public property. This road was not like this when it was handed over. I am instructing the Ministry to arrest any Concessionaire that removes asphalt from existing roads.”
Addressing Daramola, Umahi pointedly accused the company of incompetence.
“You manipulate the process to get the job. You have no knowledge of road construction. You don’t know what you are doing. You have no technical staff or competence,” the minister fumed.
Speaking further, Umahi said, “The President has directed us to do whatever is possible to fix this road. The law is the overriding public interest. It is also the fault of the government for not finding out the competency of Concessionaires. You are learning how to do construction on our road. This is dangerous.
“This is provocation at its highest level. It is a pity when people cannot pass the road. We have competent contractors who we will beg to restore the road. We will be asking CCETC to fix the bad spot in Asaba.
” I am disappointed. The President has directed me to redesign all roads from Kogi to Warri and around Edo State. They are to be done with concrete pavement. We need total reconstruction of this road and not this palliative.”
Responding, the BAECC CEO blamed the slow pace of work on heavy rains, adding that heavy vehicular traffic on the highway made the firm not to construct side drains.
Daramola said, “We expanded the road. We have expanded to eight lanes. We did palliative work for some months. We are wrestling with weather, as much as we want to keep to the scope of work. We expected our palliative work to have been completed long ago. We have to choose between doing side drains and combating heavy traffic. We are compelled to open the road when it is yet to cure. We have to do the work over again. This is a concession road, and we are funding this road with our money.
“How do we start with drains when there is heavy traffic? We have tried to engage all parties and communities. We are determined to ensure we complete this road. We have a reputation to maintain.”
Chairman, House Committee on Works, Akin Alabi, urged President Tinubu to take a second look at the agreement with the Concessionaire.
“We should review all such contracts. We cannot afford Concessionaires who can be giving us issues. The people want to see good roads. There must be palliative measures. Let us come up with a solution where people can move.”
Representative of the project Consultant, Toyin Akinlapa, an engineer, said BAECC refused to heed their instructions to ensure that the work was done to standard.
“The Concessionaire did not heed our instruction. We told them to first do the drains, but they ignored us and that affected the road. The company had some challenges in their technical team.”
Senator Allwell Onyesoh described the situation of the Benin-Asaba highway as despicable.
Governor Monday Okpebholo said the prompt response of President Tinubu showed he cared about the people’s plight.
Shola Akinyele
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