Don’t abandon Benin-Abraka Road, motorists beg Okpebholo

By Ozioruva Aliu, BENIN CITY

Motorists have appealed to the Edo State Government not to abandon its portion of the  Benin-Abraka road that was awarded several years ago. 

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They said with the deplorable state of several major federal roads connecting Edo and Delta states, the Benin-Abraka road became an alternative route for most drivers until some portions of the road started going bad.

According to the road users, the bad state of this road exposes them to attacks by kidnappers and other criminals. 

It will be recalled that reconstruction of the 105.6km road was awarded by the Federal Government during the era of former President Goodluck Jonathan for expansion in 2011 for N30bn and was expected to be completed within 36 months. But it was later abandoned by the same administration.

After a series of protests by communities and motorists, the Edo State Government, in 2018, under former Governor Godwin Obaseki approved the contract for reconstruction of the road for N21.2bn.

The award of the contract followed a co-financing arrangement  in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) entered into by the Edo State Government, the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Edo State Oil and Gas-Producing Area Development Commission (EDSOGPADEC) with a financing ratio of 25%:50%:25%.

Asphalt laying for the first phase of 5km was expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2022 while the project was expected to be completed in 2025.

A visit to the road by NDV showed that the asphalt work  stopped at Ogba community in Orhionmwon while the portion from Ogba to Ugo community is still in a deplorable state. 

Motorists and travellers plying the road appealed to Governor Monday Okpebholo not to abandon it.

NDV observed about four  broken down vehicles at some of the failed portions.

A driver who gave his name as Philip Osayande told NDV that he was disappointed that work on the road stopped shortly after Okpebholo was sworn in. He said the bad section of the road exposed them to serious security challenges.

Another driver, Osamuyi Omorodion, called on Okpebholo to ensure contractors returned to the site. He said they were happy with the pace of work by the contractors before the election that brought in Okpebholo but that they were shocked when work stopped shortly after he was sworn in.

Assets Verification Committee alleges inflation of contract

Shortly after  Governor Okpebholo assumed office, he set up an Assets Verification Committee headed by Afolabi Umakhihe, a retired Permanent Secretary in the Federal Civil Service.

In one of their press briefings,  the retired permanent secretary said his committee observed that the contract sum for the Benin – Abraka Road Phase 1C project was inflated from N8 billion to N16 billion, an allegation the media aide to former Governor Godwin Obaseki, Mr Crusoe Osagie dismissed as untrue. He said the allegation by Mr Afolabi ‘s committee was a desperate attempt to allegedly denigrate and rewrite the sterling legacy of the immediate past governor.

Chairman of a sub-committee on Physical Assets created by the Assets Verification Committee, Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon said his committee became interested in the road when it received a petition  alleging that the contract was  reviewed twice in six months allegedly for the purpose of the September 21 governorship election adding that their findings justified the allegations made by the petitioners.

According to him: “The reason we have to take pains to particularly visit this site is based on a petition from Edo State citizens that we have just received. 

“And the narrations of the construction firm’s Project Manager seem to justify the reasons and the nitty-gritty of that petition. The content of that petition was to the effect that there were massive reviews of contracts on this project because of the election. 

“It absolutely makes no sense that within one year, a road contract sum would be varied from N8 billion to N12 billion and, in June, some few months to the election, maybe for election purposes, the contract sum again varied from N12 billion to N16 billion.”

Also, a member of the  subcommittee, Engr. Abass Braimah, who frowned at the development, said the increment was 100 per cent. “I don’t think there is anywhere in Nigeria or outside of this sub-national that a project can be awarded for N8 billion, reviewed to N12 billion, and further reviewed to N16 billion. 

“What has substantially changed for you to have a 100 per cent increment from N8 billion to N16 billion? Meanwhile, the job specification or contents have not changed. It is still the same thing.”

Edo government reacts

The Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Paul Ohombamu assured that the Okpebholo administration will not abandon the road.

“The Benin–Abraka Road will not be abandoned. You know there are processes, the government will have to look at the books concerning that road and then take the appropriate action.”

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