The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has defended the Federal Government’s handling of the Benin-Onitsha road, saying the 125-kilometre corridor is under a 25-year concession that limits the government’s ability to terminate the agreement and award the project to another contractor.
Umahi said the government was engaging the concessionaire to improve the pace of work on the road, while stressing that any intervention must comply with existing contractual and legal obligations.
He clarified a statement signed by the Director, Information and Public Relations in the ministry, Mohammed Ahmed, in response to criticisms describing the Benin-Onitsha corridor as a monument to neglect.
According to the minister, the condition of the road predates the President Bola Tinubu administration, which inherited thousands of kilometres of deteriorating federal roads and numerous stalled or underfunded projects.
Umahi said, The debate over the condition of the Benin–Onitsha corridor is legitimate as Nigerians have every right to demand good roads, safe journeys and value for public investment.
He however said legitimate concern must not be distorted into a narrative that ignores history, contractual obligations, and the substantial road infrastructure intervention currently taking place across the South-East.
He said the Ministry of Works had been pressing the concessionaire to meet its obligations, noting that the concession arrangement did not mean the Federal government had abandoned the road.
The minister acknowledged the difficulties faced by motorists, businesses and other road users, but maintained that the government was taking steps to address them within the limits of available resources and the law.