President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Ministry of Works to urgently intervene in the deteriorating conditions of the Benin-Agbor-Asaba road and the Ifaki-Kabba-Ado Ekiti highway, following growing concerns over the hardship faced by motorists along the routes.

The directive was disclosed on Tuesday by Francis Nwaze, spokesperson to the Minister of Works, David Umahi, who said the President was deeply concerned about the deplorable state of the roads and the prolonged delays suffered by commuters.

Nwaze quoted Umahi as saying Tinubu had directed the ministry to take immediate corrective measures to restore movement on the affected corridors.

“President Tinubu, GCFR, has directed the Federal Ministry of Works to urgently intervene and ensure that necessary corrective actions are taken to restore movement on the affected roads as quickly as possible,” the minister said.

Umahi subsequently activated an emergency response, directing the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, to lead a team of ministry officials to the Ifaki-Kabba-Ado Ekiti axis to assess the situation and commence urgent remedial works.

The team was already on the ground as of 10 a.m. on Tuesday, August 25, to begin the intervention.

At the same time, Umahi travelled to Benin, Edo State, alongside members of the National Assembly Works Committees to coordinate a similar intervention on the Benin-Agbor-Asaba road.

The meeting in Benin is expected to involve representatives of the Edo and Delta State Governments as well as the Niger Delta Development Commission, with discussions focused on immediate measures to address the difficulties confronting motorists on the strategic route.

The minister also apologised to commuters who have been stranded or subjected to hours, and in some cases days, of delays as a result of the condition of the roads.

Umahi accepted responsibility for the situation and assured road users that the Federal Government’s response would not be limited to temporary measures.

He said immediate relief efforts would be implemented alongside permanent solutions aimed at restoring the roads and improving their long-term reliability.

The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Works, said it was committed to taking urgent corrective action while pursuing lasting solutions to prevent a recurrence of the crisis on the affected corridors.