By Henry Umoru, ABUJA
The Senate has urged President Bola Tinubu to as a matter of urgency, Mobilise Contractors to Site and stem further deploration state of Benin–Auchi- Lokoja Road, just as it asked the President
to grant approval for the augmentation of costs on the road through the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing pending the constitution of the Federal Executive Council for ratification.
The Senate has also urged the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to, as a matter of urgency, commence repairs on the failed portions of the Road as well as provide adequate funding to complete the reconstruction of this road.
The Upper Chamber had also asked the Ministry of Works and Housing to Come up with a plan to settle all lingering issues bordering on the dualisation of the Road with contractors and also review the terms and conditions of the contract to meet current realities of inflation.
Resolutions of the Senate yesterday were sequel to a motion titled: “Urgent Need for the Federal Government to Mobilise Contractors to Site and Stem further Deploration State of Benin–Auchi- Lokoja Road.
The motion was sponsored by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, APC, Edo North.
In his presentation, Senator Oshiomhole said that the Senate:”Notes the deplorable and dangerous state of Benin–Auchi–Lokoja Road that links the South East and South South States to the Northern parts of the country. The contract for the reconstruction of the road was awarded to Dantata and Sawoe, Reynold Construction Company, Mother Cat and GIG company in 2012 by the Goodluck Jonathan Administration, following cries and complaints by commuters about the hardship they encounter daily on the road;
“Also notes that certain portions of the road have failed completely, especially around Ekpoma to Agbede axis, and this development is causing sufferings to the many Nigerians who rely on this route for their socio-economic activity, despite the over 200 billion Naira that had been budgeted since the award of the contract for the reconstruction of the road.
“Aware that the federal government, in January 2023, as part of the Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme Phase, further approved the sum of N75 Billion to hasten the reconstruction of the road, specifically extending from Obajana Junction in Kogi State to Benin City in Edo State.
“Disturbed that the pace of work on the road has been very slow and certain portions of the road have failed completely. This has become a nightmare to motorists, especially because heavy-duty trucks spend days in the same spot without movement, thereby preventing smaller vehicles from navigating their way through the road. This situation, now sadly compels smaller vehicles to opt for longer alternative routes through Ondo State, totally out of their normal direction, in order to avoid the many kilometres of gridlocks and sometimes the inability to manoeuvre through the failed portions.
“Also disturbed that transporters now hike their fares due to increased hours of the time it takes for them to arrive at a journey that they would otherwise spend less time to arrive at, thereby passing the buck to the passengers and travellers who now pay astronomically high fares to their destinations. This situation is disheartening, considering the current high cost of living that Nigerians are already grappling with.
“Worried that the deplorable state of the road has caused damage to properties and led to the death of numerous innocent commuters through accidents.
“Also worried that the road passes through the sites of two major cement factories in Okpella, Edo State which attracts heavy duty vehicular movement 24 hours of the day, throughout the year, making it a very strategic route for the country’s development.”
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Last modified: July 12, 2023
