FG, refinery begin emergency repairs on Benin-Asaba, Sapele roads

The Federal Government and the Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Limited have commenced emergency repairs on the deteriorating Benin-Asaba and Benin-Sapele highways, respectively, in a bid to ease prolonged hardship for motorists and prevent further accidents along the critical routes.

The Federal Government’s intervention on the 125-kilometre Benin-Asaba Road followed worsening deterioration, severe gridlock and prolonged delays, while the Edo Refinery undertook repairs on failed sections of the Benin-Sapele highway after repeated accidents involving trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles.

The emergency repairs followed the order by President Bola Tinubu for an intervention on the 125-kilometre Benin-Asaba Road.

Represented by Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, during the inauguration of the emergency intervention on Thursday, the President said the intervention was aimed at responding to the hardship suffered by road users on the critical highway linking Edo and Delta states with other parts of the country.

He said the Benin-Asaba corridor had been concessioned under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement to the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company, with the expectation that the road would be completed within three years.

Tinubu, however, said the pace and manner of execution had fallen short of the terms of the concession agreement, resulting in worsening road conditions and hardship for motorists.

“We are here today not to witness the commencement of another road project. We are witnessing the response of a government that has heard the cries of its people and has chosen to act. That is why today’s intervention is truly a rescue operation,” he said.

Okpebholo, on behalf of the people of Edo, thanked Tinubu for responding to the concerns of commuters and communities along the corridor.

He also commended the Minister of Works, David Umahi, for his commitment and personal intervention in efforts to restore the road.

The governor urged the contractors handling the emergency works to ensure quality construction, comply strictly with approved specifications and complete the work within the agreed timeframe.

“To the contractors handling the palliative work, this is a road of great economic importance to Edo, Delta and Nigeria. We expect quality work, strict compliance with the approved project specifications, and delivery within the agreed timeframe; there must be no excuses.

“I appeal to communities and commuters who had endured prolonged gridlock and delays to remain patient because their complaints had been heard. The intervention will mark the beginning of the end of the hardship experienced on the highway,” he said.

While speaking, Umahi said the Federal Ministry of Works had taken over the immediate palliative rehabilitation of the road in the interest of the public.

He clarified that the temporary palliative works were not awarded to Hi-Tech or any other contractor, explaining that the ministry hired equipment for the emergency intervention.

According to him, more than 50 pieces of equipment had been deployed to the road, with additional equipment expected to be mobilised.

Umahi said the Federal Government decided to intervene after efforts to secure the cooperation of the concessionaire failed.

He stated that the concession agreement required the Federal Government to obtain the concessionaire’s permission before intervening, but the company declined the options proposed by the ministry.

The minister said the government consequently directed major contractors to work on the three sections of the Benin-Asaba Road to restore failed portions and ease the hardship faced by motorists.

He said the entire route would subsequently be redesigned for reconstruction using reinforced concrete pavement.

Umahi said the emergency works would also address sections where existing asphalt had been removed, leaving the road base exposed to rainfall and further deterioration.

Also speaking, Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, represented by the Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, said the Benin-Asaba corridor had remained a major challenge for residents of Delta and Edo.

Oborevwori commended Tinubu for intervening to restore the road, which he described as an important link for commerce and cultural ties between the two states.

“For us in Delta, this intervention is a welcome development because this road helps to connect commerce, culture and bring us together as a people that once existed as one state.

“This road needs to come back alive because we have all felt the embarrassment of the deplorable condition of the road.

“The decision to bring back life to this road is a decision we must appreciate President Tinubu for, and indeed it shows that he listens,” he said.

Also, respite came in for some Edo residents and motorists as the management of the Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Limited began repair works on failed sections of the Benin-Sapele road.

The palliative work was done at various sections of the road such as Iyanomo, Ekosa, Obayantor Ologbo and Koko junction in Delta State.

Head of Technical Operations of the Edo Refinery, Segun Okeni, said the intervention was to prevent a recurrence of an incident that happened five years ago when an oil tanker carrying petrol fell at one of the bad spots in Ologbo that resulted in a fire that killed over 20 people.

Okeni said the firm acted promptly to repair the spot after the accident.

He said the failed portions had also been affecting the firm’s operations as tankers spend days on the highway before gaining access to the refinery to load products.

“Our refinery is just about two kilometres ahead. And this area happens to be part of the area of coverage of our Corporate Social Responsibility.

“The communities approached us to help them fix the failed section because most of their people cannot go out of the area.

“Our chairman was around during that period, and he saw the level of damage to the road, and even on that same day, we had like five trucks that fell along the road. He authorised that we should undertake the repairs.

“It is not directly affecting our production, but it does not allow trucks easy access to our company, and that can affect part of our operations,” he said.

Managing Director of SODEOSA Global Resources, Solomon Uyiekpen, said commuters experienced suffering on the road before the intervention.

Uyiekpen said he collaborated with the Edo Refinery to fix the road as a CSR to the communities around the area.

A member of the Obayantor community, Kennedy Nwazekwu, said the repair work would stop incessant accidents on the road.

He said over 20 people have been killed when their vehicles fell into ditches on the road.