The Rural Development, Information and Legal Advocacy Center (RUDILAC) has called for an immediate investigation into allegations that sewage-contaminated water is being used in the ongoing construction of the Benin–Auchi Highway.
RUDILAC has formally written to the Project Director/Supervisor of BUA Construction at its Ekpoma project yard, warning against the used of contaminated water for construction and urging the company to ensure the project meets applicable engineering, environmental, and quality-control standards.
For communities along the corridor, the road is more than asphalt and concrete. It is the route through which farmers move produce to markets, children travel to schools, patients reach hospitals, traders access commercial centers, and rural communities connect to the wider economy.
When the quality of such infrastructure is compromised, rural development suffers. RUDILAC warns that the use of contaminated or otherwise unsuitable water can affect the quality, durability, and environmental integrity of the road construction.
RUDILAC’s concern is particularly serious because the organization has evidence that BUA drilled sewage water in connection with the construction works from the retention pond at Ehanlen junction and then take it to Ewu Hill where they are currently working.
In its letter, RUDILAC requested that BUA Construction provide available water-quality testing or laboratory results, explain the engineering standards applicable to using sewage water on the construction site, and detail the corrective measures in place.
Speaking on the matter, President Aigbokhan, Executive Director/Trustee of RUDILAC, said: “Rural development is not measured by the ribbon-cutting ceremony. It is measured by whether the infrastructure delivered to rural communities is safe and durable. The people of Edo deserve infrastructure built to the standard for which public resources have been committed.”
He added: “We have evidence that sewage water is discharged by BUA Construction and the same is used for the construction site on Benin-Auchi Road, and the responsible response is not denial or silence but correction.”
RUDILAC believes transparency in major infrastructure projects should extend beyond contract awards and expenditure figures to include the quality, safety, environmental compliance, and long-term sustainability of the infrastructure delivered to communities.
The organization therefore calls on BUA Construction to treat the complaint as an opportunity to adjust and be more purposeful in line with the required professional and regulatory standards.
RUDILAC remains committed to using information, advocacy, and lawful accountability mechanisms to ensure that development projects serve the communities for whom they are intended.