Abiola Petera
The Federal Government has restated its commitment to transparency and due diligence in the procurement process of the ongoing construction of the Lagos-Calabar Highway project.
It stressed that the section one will be unveiled by President Bola Tinubu on 29th of May this year.
Minister of Works, Mr David Umahi, said this during the inspection of the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Highway Project, dismissing claims that the road infrastructure was a wasteful and corrupt venture.
Mr Umahi in an interview with newsmen debunked the allegations of corruption and wastefulness on the process of the Lagos-Calabar highway project by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in his new book, “Nigeria: Past and Future,” acknowledging that criticism was natural, but assured that the project would bring prosperity to citizens.
The Minister urged Nigerians to ignore negative statements while emphasising that the project is transparent, with a great return on investment being done with due process as regards procurement act of the country.
Mr Umahi said about seventy percent cost analysis of the project which would come with several benefits had already been done and commended the current administration for its efforts as the President was committed to the completion of other ongoing federal road projects in the country.
The Minister of Works challenged the former President while citing that the Siemen power project, privatization deals and the sales of national assets and consortiums that happened under the former President’s watch as being wasteful and corrupt to the entire organs of the country at large.
He alluded that the former President had bandied figures where he cited that the Lagos-Calabar project would cost over 11 billion dollars to complete, even as he stressed that the figures the former President weaved together were not attuned with the economic realities on ground.
Mr Umahi buttressed that the ongoing Lagos-Calabar projects is one of the biggest road infrastructure of concrete pavement instead of asphalt roads that was prone to frequent destruction and potholes.
He declared that the Former President should channel his efforts towards writing biographies and memoirs rather than publishing books to dismiss bold infrastructure that he could not actualize when he was made President for eight years.
Responding to the Former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s claims in his new book where he described the N15.6trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway project as wasteful and corrupt, Umahi declared that the coastal road project would create evacuation corridors for deep sea ports, Dangote Refinery and connect all existing roads together.
Earlier, The former President had disclosed in Chapter Six of his new book, ‘Nigeria: Past and Future’ where he painted the portrait and characters of chief executives at both the federal and state levels.
Speaking at the 700 km Lagos coastal road yesterday in Lagos, the Minister noted that it was normal for people to criticise the project, but assured that the project would bring prosperity to the citizens.
He said, “The project is not wasteful and corrupt. I have read on social media where people were saying that why is the government or the contractor not explaining, but as the Minister of Work, I am qualified to explain the project.
“It is natural and normal for people to criticise, but I have ran the benefits of the project, the cost analysis of the project, the job is already done about 70% and the project will bring a lot of prosperity to Nigerians, while stating that all those criticising the road should not follow the road.
“I want to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu because his peers are jealous, angry but that means he is doing very well what nobody has been able to do. The project is transparent, it is great in returns of investment, so I want to urge everyone to ignore such statement.”
Mr Umahi also stated that the first section of the project would be completed by next year.
He emphasized the crucial role of infrastructure in driving economic growth and development while noting that the Lagos-Calabar coastal road will drive economic growth, spur industrialization and improve returns on investment.
The Minister commended the president on the increase in federal presence in the state through many infrastructural projects, including the ongoing dualisation project and rehabilitation of Sagamu and Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The minister assured that his government would provide an enabling environment for the successful execution of these projects.
“We are resolute in our commitment to ensuring that these projects are completed for the benefit of our people. In this regard, I pledge Government’s unflinching support and commitment towards actualising their completion,” he stated.