Dare Babalola
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project has taken a dramatic turn, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s aide accusing the Tinubu government of insincerity over the project’s cost, saying Atiku’s early warning about cost inflation has been vindicated.
In a statement on Wednesday, Phrank Shaibu, the Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku, claims that the project was grossly inflated has been vindicated by the Minister of Works, David Umahi’s recent admission.
According to Atiku’s office, Umahi had initially denied the claims, stating that the project would cost ₦4 billion per kilometre. However, the minister has now admitted that the actual cost is closer to ₦8 billion per kilometre, which is what Atiku had warned.
He wrote, “However, the same minister has now done a volte face and admitted that the actual cost is indeed closer to ₦8 billion per kilometre — precisely what Atiku warned Nigerians about.
“This admission not only vindicates the former Vice President’s position but also exposes the Tinubu administration’s lack of transparency in managing one of the most expensive infrastructure projects in Nigeria’s history.”
The project, valued at $11 billion, has raised several questions, including who the actual financiers are and what sovereign guarantees underpin the arrangement.
Atiku is calling for transparency and accountability in the project’s management, while also demanding that the full contractual details of the project be published.
The police also asked the government to conduct an independent value-for-money audit and suspend further payments until the project’s integrity is assured.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project is one of the most expensive infrastructure projects in Nigeria’s history. The project’s cost and financing model have been under scrutiny, with Atiku and some other prominent Nigerians questioning the transparency and accountability of the project’s management.
