Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has ordered the arrest of the MD of Hartland Construction Company for failing to complete a section of the Benin-Onitsha Expressway despite receiving N14B for the project.
“Hartland, we paid them, and when I paid them that money, we reached an agreement: you are going to finish 11 kilometres from the Summit Junction to this bridge with the money I’m paying you… But today they have just done about 40% of the agreement.
“So I recalled the MD to discuss with him for them to come back to the site. I am going to look for him to arrest him; I’m going to arrest him. So, the controller, you look for the MD of Hartland and arrest him,” Umahi said.
Current state of Benin-Onitsha Expressway
The Benin–Onitsha Expressway remains in poor condition, with motorists facing significant delays, potholes, failed sections of pavement and traffic congestion along parts of the corridor. The most severe deterioration has been reported on the Benin–Agbor–Asaba section, where the condition of the road has disrupted travel and commercial activities.
The Asaba–Onitsha section also has severely damaged portions, particularly around some of the heavily trafficked areas approaching Onitsha.
The state of the road was brought to the fore last week when travelers were stuck on the road for days due to its deplorable state.
