Minister of Works David Umahi has assured Nigerians that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project will continue as scheduled, despite ongoing legal challenges.
The 700-kilometer Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will extend from Victoria Island in Lagos to Calabar in Cross River State, traversing several states, including Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom.
Umahi, addressing the media in Abuja on Thursday, emphasized the project’s significance as a major infrastructural development that will enhance connectivity and stimulate economic growth in Nigeria’s coastal region.
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He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to the project and assured that all necessary legal and procedural requirements have been fulfilled.
“We are paying compensation. We are following the corridor right of way. We are following the corridor that is legally allowed for the federal government,” Umahi stated, as he dismissed claims that the project lacked proper authorisation.
He expressed confusion over the basis of the court case, noting, “And so, we don’t know what they are taking to court.”
The Minister also addressed concerns about the project’s procurement process, noting that it had received approval from the Federal Executive Council in accordance with the Restrictive Procurement Act.
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“My permanent secretary is a procurement expert, and I have a very good department of public procurement and good directors. But the project was approved by the Federal Executive Council under restrictive procurement,” he explained.
Umahi defended the project’s cost and scale, asserting that comparisons to other international projects were unwarranted.
“I’ve had to run even the cost of the project at 4 billion per kilometre. And yet, people still come to say, oh, this number of lanes in Egypt is 1.8 billion. And it is 300 kilometres,” he said, criticising those questioning the project without sufficient knowledge.
The Minister also reassured stakeholders that all environmental and social impact assessments had been finalized and that the project was part of the 2023 supplementary appropriation.
“We have EIA certificates on the project. That’s number one. Number two, was the project listed in the appropriation list? The project is in the 2023 supplementary appropriation,” he confirmed.
Umahi warned those attempting to halt the project through legal means, stating, “If they want to unduly benefit from the project by going to court, they are wasting their time.”
He further declared, “I fought many battles as governor of my state. And so, my name is David. And I’m not afraid of bad people.”
