Harrison EDEH
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has directed urgent intervention in the worsening condition of the Benin-Agbor-Asaba road where motorists and commuters have been stranded for days.
David Umahi, the minister of works, said the president gave the directive in response to the motorists worsening experience on the road.
“President Tinubu has directed the Federal Ministry of Works to urgently intervene and ensure that necessary corrective actions are taken to restore movement on the affected roads as quickly as possible,” Umahi said in a statement issued by Francis Nwaze, his media aide.
The minister said he had moved to implement the directive and would personally lead the intervention on the Benin-Agbor-Asaba road.
Umahi,the statement said arrived in Benin, Edo state, on Tuesday alongside members of the national assembly works committees to begin discussions on the situation.
The meeting is expected to involve representatives of the Edo and Delta state governments and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), with the aim of finding immediate solutions to the difficulties confronting motorists on the route.
The intervention follows reports of severe gridlock experienced by commuters in the past days as failed sections and the deteriorating condition of the highway worsened traffic.
The situation has affected interstate movement, with reports indicating that some travellers abandoned their vehicles and trekked to seek alternative means of transportation.
The prolonged gridlock has also affected the movement of goods and commercial activities along the corridor.
On August 20, residents and motorists protested the condition of the Benin-Agbor bypass. Videos from the protest showed vehicles struggling through muddy sections of the road.
Umahi also accepted responsibility for the situation and apologised to commuters.
He said the government would pursue immediate measures to restore movement while also working towards permanent solutions for the affected roads.
“We are determined to take immediate corrective measures while working towards permanent solutions,” Umahi said.
The minister also directed the minister of state for works to lead a team of ministry officials to the Ifaki-Kabba-Ado Ekiti axis to assess the condition of the road and commence urgent remedial works.
The ministry said the team was already on the ground as of 10am on Tuesday.
The Ifaki-Kabba-Ado Ekiti intervention is also being carried out following Tinubu’s directive over the deteriorating condition of the road, which has caused significant disruption to movement.
Umahi said the federal government’s response to the two road crises would go beyond temporary relief.
He said immediate measures would be combined with permanent solutions to restore the affected roads and improve their long-term reliability.
