Peter Obi Questions Decision To Build Lagos-Calabar Road

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the most recent general election, questioned the federal government’s choice to construct the Lagos-Calabar coastal route in light of the several unfinished projects already underway around the nation.

Obi claimed in a series of posts on X (previously Twitter) on Monday, April 22 that the project was not a top priority considering the large number of incomplete roads in the nation and the high expenses involved in completing it.

The money given to the Ministry of Works is “insufficient,” according to the former governor of Anambra State, to make any real headway on the numerous unfinished roads in the nation, much less see them completed.

“The Federal Ministry of Works 2024 capital budget of N892,461,262,656.00, additional funding from multilateral loan projects of N94,828,535,243.00, alongside other expected contributions from sources like the China-Exim Bank and the World Bank, will not be enough for serious work on all the critical roads, some of which I enumerated above, let alone their completion.

Read Also: Nigeria’s Debts Is Unproductive – Peter Obi

“So, why embark on another huge project that will not be completed in the next 20 or 30 years?

“To do so will only exacerbate the problem of abandoned, uncompleted projects that are not contributing to economic growth and overall development.

“Therefore, while acknowledging the potential benefits of coastal superhighway infrastructure, I urge prioritization of our existing uncompleted projects. We must allocate resources towards repairing and completing existing infrastructure.

“In any development formula, the primary focus should be on completing and rehabilitating existing infrastructure rather than embarking on colossal new projects that may never reach completion within the next 30 years,” Obi said.

The 700-kilometer Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is being built by the Federal Government and is intended to cross nine states, with two spurs that connect to the Northern States. Construction on the project started back in March.

According to David Umahi, Minister of Works, the 700 km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is expected to come with a N15.6 trillion price tag.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli