Atiku Slams Umahi Over Cost of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticized the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, for what he claims are misleading statements about the cost and details of the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.

In a statement issued on April 12, 2024, Atiku accused Umahi of lying about the project’s tentative cost, which the minister said was N15.6 trillion ($13bn at an exchange rate of N1,200/$1).

Atiku pointed out that the project’s cost would be more than N15.6 trillion if the railway component were included, noting that the total budget of all 36 states of the federation for 2024 is about N15.91 trillion.

He also questioned the lack of competitive bidding for the project and the involvement of Gilbert Chagoury’s Hitech construction company, which was awarded the contract without any competitive process.

The former vice president further criticized Umahi for claiming that the project would not be a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and that the federal government would provide 15%-30% counterpart financing.

Atiku argued that Umahi had previously stated that Hitech had the money to construct the highway and that it would be a PPP.

He accused Umahi of trying to deceive Nigerians by changing the project’s details and questioned the minister’s claim that no money had been released to Hitech yet.

Atiku called on members of the National Assembly to be more vigilant in their oversight duties and to investigate the project’s details, cost, and the lack of competitive bidding.

He emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in public projects to ensure that Nigerians get the best value for their money.

The controversy surrounding the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project highlights the need for open dialogue and cooperation between government officials and the public to ensure that large-scale infrastructure projects are executed efficiently and in the best interest of the Nigerian people.