Benin-Asaba-Onitsha Highway: Motorists, Travellers Groan Over Persistent Gridlock

Motorists and travellers plying the Benin-Asaba-Onitsha highway have continued to lament the worsening condition of the major road corridor, despite President Bola Tinubu’s directive to the Federal Ministry of Works to relocate to the area and address the crisis.

The situation has remained particularly difficult around the Ubulu-Okiti axis of Delta State and the Ovia River corridor in Benin, Edo State, where prolonged traffic congestion and deteriorating road conditions have continued to frustrate commuters.

The bypass linking Benin with Oluku, before connecting motorists to Okada and Ore in Ondo State, has also reportedly become increasingly difficult to navigate, with road users describing some sections as death traps and potential security risks.

Motorists attempting to avoid the gridlock around Ubulu-Okiti are often forced to manoeuvre through Issele-Azagba and Issele-Uku before reconnecting with the Benin-Asaba expressway.

However, after navigating that route, travellers are confronted with another major challenge at the Ovia River axis, where traffic congestion has persisted.

A commercial driver, David Okwuchukwu, who reportedly spent about eight hours trying to negotiate the Ovia River axis before eventually making his way to Asaba, expressed disappointment over the situation.

According to him, the condition of the road appeared to have returned to its previous state barely four days after the presidential directive.

He said the prolonged traffic situation was causing significant hardship for motorists, commercial transport operators and other road users, while also raising concerns about the safety of travellers along the corridor.

The Benin-Asaba-Onitsha highway is a major economic route linking several communities and states in the South-South and South-East regions, making the persistent deterioration and congestion a source of concern to residents, businesses and commuters.