By Opeyemi Adelakun
The Federal Government has blamed the contractor handling the Benin-Agbor-Asaba highway for the road’s deteriorating condition and the prolonged gridlock that left motorists stranded for days.
Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, said the contractor’s failure to fulfil its obligations contributed significantly to the crisis.
Dare spoke on Channels Television on Wednesday while reacting to the worsening condition of the highway, which links Benin City in Edo State with Agbor and Asaba in Delta State.
The road had suffered severe traffic congestion for nearly two weeks, disrupting the movement of commuters and goods between the two states. Traders conveying perishable products were particularly affected by the prolonged delays, with some reportedly recording losses.
Dare said the government had a responsibility to identify roads requiring rehabilitation and provide funding, but contractors were expected to execute the projects properly.
“Whatever played out yesterday, we had all the stakeholders there. And it’s important that even the contractor came out, even though he gave excuses, it showed a failure on their part,” Dare said.
He added, “Government has a responsibility to identify the roads that need to be fixed. Government has a responsibility to provide the funding. And then, the next responsibility goes to the contractors to do what is necessary.”
The crisis prompted Works Minister David Umahi to inspect the highway on Tuesday alongside members of the National Assembly and other stakeholders.
Umahi apologised to motorists and commuters over the hardship caused by the condition of the road and directed moves towards its total reconstruction.
The minister said palliative repairs would not provide a lasting solution to the problem, signalling a shift towards a more comprehensive reconstruction of the highway.
Dare defended the Federal Government’s response to the crisis, saying the intervention showed that the administration was prepared to act when infrastructure problems became critical.
“What we saw yesterday, the Minister, the National Assembly members, and other key stakeholders going there in record time, right on the spot. And I think that’s what good governance is about, responding as quickly and as swiftly as possible, putting the blame where it is, and requesting for immediate action,” he said.
The presidential aide, however, described the Benin-Agbor-Asaba road failure as an isolated incident and cautioned against using it alone to assess the Federal Government’s performance on road infrastructure nationwide.
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