Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, has criticised the Minister of Works, David Umahi, for refusing to provide a clear breakdown of the cost of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, describing his response to public inquiries as “evasive and unnecessary.”
Speaking in a viral video on Friday, Makinde asserted there was “no reason” for Umahi to be “dancing around the cost” of the multibillion-naira highway, which has generated significant controversy since its approval by President Bola Tinubu.
Makinde specifically referenced Umahi’s interaction with a journalist:“They asked a minister how much the coastal road is, and then you (Umahi) are dancing around and going to say that no, the next kilometre is different from the next kilometre. Then what is the average cost?” Makinde asked.
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The Governor’s remarks followed a heated on-air exchange on Tuesday between Umahi and Arise News anchor, Rufai Oseni, during which Oseni had requested the minister break down the cost on a per-kilometre basis.
The question appeared to “irritate the minister,” who sharply responded that the inquiry “made no sense” and that the journalist lacked the technical knowledge to understand the figures.
Umahi stated:“These are elementary questions. And it makes no sense. A process is ongoing, payment has been made, and you are saying, ‘how has this money been utilised?’ The money is meant for the project, and it will be paid according to the work done,”
“Keep quiet and stop saying what you don’t know. I’m a professor in this field. You don’t understand anything. You have no knowledge of what you ask.”
Oseni, refusing to back down, retorted: “Minister, it’s alright. Keep dignifying yourself, and let the world know who you truly are.”
Reacting to the exchange, Makinde defended the journalist’s question, arguing that Nigerians deserve transparency on public expenditure.
The governor illustrated his point using cost details from his administration’s road projects in Oyo State:“When we did the Oyo to Iseyin road then, it was about ₦9.99 billion, almost ₦10 billion. About 34 or 35 kilometres, average cost is about ₦238 million per kilometre,” he explained.
“But when we did Iseyin to Ogbomoso, that was 76 kilometres, it was about ₦43 billion, average cost is about ₦500 million per kilometre. And we had two bridges, one over the Ogun River and then one at Ogbomoso end.”
Makinde argued that since state governments could openly provide such cost analyses, there was no reason for a federal minister to avoid doing the same for a major national highway.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, spanning about 700 kilometres across nine states, is a key infrastructure project being handled by Hitech Construction Company Limited.
Despite previous assurances from Umahi that the government would not tolerate “cost variations or delays,” public concern continues to mount over the project’s actual cost and transparency.
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You are right the Minister respond doesn’t have single transparency and failed to understand that the public has the right to ask questions to know if there’s accountability anyway action is louder than voice, infact the minister lacks public manners, and he thinks Rufai Oseni of all people didn’t know his right from is left, thank God Rafai gave him the best the minister deserves,