Umahi Orders Arrest of Contractors Removing Asphalt on Benin-Asaba Highway
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Works Minister David Umahi has ordered the arrest of any contractor found removing asphalt from existing carriageways, criticising the slow pace and poor handling of the Benin-Asaba Highway project.
Minister of Works, Engineer David Umahi, has ordered the arrest of any contractor found removing asphalt from existing carriageways without authorisation, after criticising the concessionaire handling the Benin-Asaba Highway over its slow pace of work and alleged failure to follow engineering standards.
Umahi issued the directive on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, during an on-the-spot assessment of the 125-kilometre highway, which runs from the AIF Roundabout in Benin City, Edo State, to Summit Junction in Asaba, Delta State. He faulted the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company Limited (BAECC) for what he described as unprofessional conduct, noting that removing asphalt without constructing adequate side drains had damaged the road’s sub-structure and worsened conditions for motorists and host communities despite repeated warnings from the Ministry and the project’s Independent Engineer.
The minister apologised to commuters and residents of Edo and Delta states for the hardship caused by the ongoing reconstruction and directed all Federal Controllers of Works to arrest any contractor or concessionaire found removing asphalt from existing federal roads without approval. A follow-up meeting involving the Federal Government, the concessionaire and the Edo State Government was scheduled for Wednesday, August 26, at the Edo State Government House.
