Edo orders immediate repairs after haulage equipment damages Benin bypass

The Edo State government said it had ordered immediate temporary repairs to a section of the Benin Bypass after haulage equipment belonging to Build Well Nigeria Limited damaged the road, disrupting traffic on the federal highway.

Special Adviser on Project Implementation and Monitoring to Governor Okpebholo, Phoebe Williams-Bello, gave the assurance on Monday after inspecting the damaged section at Idogbo on the Benin Bypass.

She said the company had accepted responsibility for the damage and signed an undertaking to carry out palliative repairs on a 150-metre stretch of the affected road.

Williams-Bello said the state government would meet with relevant agencies to ensure the repairs comply with required engineering standards.

“Following our inspection, the company responsible has accepted liability and signed an undertaking to carry out palliative repairs on about 150 metres of the damaged road. We will also meet with all relevant stakeholders to ensure the repair work meets the required engineering standards,” she said.

She added that Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration remained committed to protecting public infrastructure and would hold individuals and companies accountable for damage to government assets.

The Federal Controller of Works in Edo State, Babatunde Tajudeen, described the damage as unacceptable, saying the Benin Bypass is a federal road that should be restored without delay.

He said the affected section forms part of a 45-km rehabilitation project being handled by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), stretching from Oluku Junction to Sapele Road.

Eugene Okolosie, chairman of the Edo State Public Property Protection Committee, said officials intercepted those responsible for the incident. He added that the haulage equipment involved had been impounded and would remain in the committee’s custody pending the outcome of investigations and compliance with government directives.

Also at the inspection were the Permanent Secretary of the Edo State Ministry of Works, John Obanor, who said the ministry would ensure quality repairs, and Build Well Nigeria Limited representative Samuel Opeyemi, who pledged the company’s cooperation and said it would carry out the agreed repair works.