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Benin-Asaba Expressway: Daramola Seeks Patience, Assures Motorists of Accelerated Construction

The Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company Limited (BAECC) has appealed for patience from motorists and communities along the corridor as it prepares to accelerate construction on the 125-kilometre highway following the rainy season.

Chief Executive Officer of BAECC, Samuel Daramola, in a statement today, said the company remained committed to delivering the project despite persistent rainfall and the difficulties of reconstructing a heavily travelled highway while keeping it open to traffic.

“We recognise the inconvenience that motorists and communities have experienced, and we do not take their concerns lightly,” Daramola said. “Our responsibility is not only to build the permanent road but also to do everything reasonably possible to keep people moving while construction is taking place.”

The project, being executed under a 36-month construction programme, involves extensive reconstruction and expansion, earthworks, drainage systems, pavement construction, culverts, traffic management and installation of production facilities.

BAECC said substantial work had already been undertaken on different sections, including earthworks and subgrade preparation, drainage and culvert construction, asphalt and binder-course works and carriageway expansion.

The company has also mobilised asphalt plants, concrete batching plants, paving equipment, concrete mould plants, Wet Mix Macadam plants and other specialised construction equipment.

According to BAECC, billions of naira in private-sector resources have been committed to equipment, construction plants, materials, logistics and supporting infrastructure for the project.

Daramola said much of the preparatory work might not be immediately visible to motorists but was necessary for permanent highway construction.

“A project of this magnitude is built in stages. Before the travelling public sees kilometres of finished asphalt, there must be drainage, earthworks, pavement preparation, production plants and equipment mobilisation,” he said.

BAECC identified persistent rainfall as a major challenge during the current phase, explaining that saturated ground conditions had affected earthworks, pavement stabilisation and asphalt operations.

Daramola, however, stressed that the rainfall had affected the sequencing and pace of some activities rather than stopped construction.

“Where permanent pavement operations are restricted by rainfall, our teams continue with other engineering activities and palliative interventions,” he said.

The company said reconstruction had been further complicated by the need to keep the busy corridor open to thousands of motorists, buses, commercial vehicles and articulated trucks.
BAECC said it had sometimes reopened treated sections earlier than would ordinarily be preferred to ease congestion.

“We are building and managing traffic at the same time,” Daramola said. “There are occasions when engineering considerations would favour keeping a section closed for longer, but the realities facing motorists require us to reopen the road.”

The company said palliative interventions would continue on difficult sections to reduce hardship while permanent reconstruction progresses.
“Our immediate task is to reduce the inconvenience being experienced today while remaining focused on the permanent solution,” Daramola said.

BAECC said it was preparing for a major acceleration of permanent works from October as weather conditions improve.

The programme will cover drainage completion, pavement reconstruction, asphalt binder and wearing-course installation, culvert construction and other permanent works across multiple sections.

Additional personnel, equipment and construction resources are also being mobilised for the dry season construction window.
“As the rains recede, Nigerians will see a significant acceleration of permanent works,” Daramola said.

He appealed to motorists and host communities to consider the project within its overall construction programme rather than judge it solely by present difficulties.

“We are not asking anyone to ignore the present difficulties. We recognise them and are addressing them through palliative interventions while building the permanent solution,” he said.

“What we ask for is the time and opportunity to deliver the project within the construction programme. Judge us ultimately by the quality, durability and safety of the highway we deliver.”

BAECC also pledged continued cooperation with the Federal Government, relevant agencies and host communities, saying all stakeholders share the objective of delivering a safe and reliable highway.

“The road people see during construction is not the road they will see at completion,” Daramola said. “We ask for a little more patience and the opportunity to complete what we have started.”

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NUJ Lagos Unveils 2026 Press Week Programme, Dakuku Peterside to Lead Public Lecture

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State Council, has unveiled the programme of activities for its 2026 Press Week, scheduled to hold from Monday, September 28 to Sunday, October 4, 2026.

The week-long celebration is expected to bring together journalists, media professionals, journalism students, policymakers, industry experts and other stakeholders for a series of activities aimed at promoting professional excellence, strengthening unity among media practitioners and fostering relationships within the media community.

The Press Week will commence on Monday, September 28, with a Health and Awareness Walk.

A major highlight of the programme will be a public lecture scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, with the theme, “Politics, Ports and the Public Interest: The Media’s Catalytic Role in Driving Economic Growth.”

The lecture will be delivered by former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, at the Radio Lagos/Eko FM Multipurpose Hall, LTV Complex, Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos, by 10:00 a.m.

The public lecture is expected to attract maritime experts, media practitioners, journalism students, policymakers, industry players and other stakeholders from diverse sectors of the economy.

Speaking on the forthcoming event, Chairman of the NUJ Lagos State Council, Mr. Adeleye Ajayi, described the Press Week as an important annual tradition that provides journalists from different media organisations an opportunity to interact, fraternise and strengthen professional relationships.

Ajayi said journalists, who routinely go the extra mile to report issues affecting individuals and society, also require opportunities to come together, interact and strengthen their professional bonds.

He added that the Press Week is an event journalists always look forward to, assuring that the council would do everything within its reach to ensure that this year's edition remains one of the best.

The programme will continue on Thursday, October 1, with the Chapel Rendezvous at the LTV premises, beginning at 4:00 p.m.

On Friday, October 2, journalists will participate in a Juma’at Service at the Lagos State Secretariat Mosque, CBD, Alausa, Ikeja, by 1:00 p.m.

The celebration will also feature a Gala and Awards Night at the BOS Hall, LTV Complex, Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja, by 4:00 p.m.

The week-long programme will climax on Sunday, October 4, with a Thanksgiving Service at the Chapel of Christ the Light (Interdenominational), CBD, Alausa, Ikeja, beginning at 10:00 a.m.

The NUJ Lagos State Council urged journalists across the state to turn out in large numbers and actively participate in the various activities lined up for the Press Week.

The council noted that beyond the celebration, the event presents an opportunity for media practitioners to network, exchange ideas, strengthen professional relationships and celebrate the contributions of journalists to the growth and development of society.

The 2026 NUJ Lagos Press Week is expected to provide a platform for media professionals and stakeholders to celebrate the journalism profession while renewing their commitment to the ideals of responsible and professional journalism.

In a statement signed by the Chairman of the Press Week Committee, Adewale Akodu, and its Secretary, Moses Omorogieva, the committee urged journalists across Lagos State to actively participate in the activities lined up for the celebration.