Works Minister Umahi Replies Obasanjo: Those Criticising Lagos-Calabar Highway Project Should Not Follow The RoadThe Minister of Works, David Umahi, has defended the Lagos-Calabar highway project, dismissing claims that it is a wasteful and corrupt venture. This comes after former President Olusegun Obasanjo criticised the project in his new book, “Nigeria: Past and Future,” calling it a prime example of waste and corruption.Umahi, speaking at a stakeholders meeting in Akure, Ondo State, acknowledged that criticism is natural, but assured that the project would bring prosperity to citizens. He emphasised that the project is transparent, with a great return on investment, and urged everyone to ignore negative statements.”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 Works, I am qualified to explain the project,” Umahi said.He added, “It is natural and normal for people to criticise, but I’ve run 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 the citizens. I’ll ask those criticising it not to follow the road.”He commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for its efforts, saying that the president’s peers are jealous and angry, indicating that he’s doing something right. “I want to commend the president. 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 return of investment, so I want to urge everyone to ignore such statement.”The minister also addressed other ongoing federal road projects in the state, including the Akure/Iju Road and Ilesha/Akure Road, stating that plans are in place to resolve compensation issues for contractors.SaharaReporters reports that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, a 700-kilometer project estimated to cost N15trillion, has brought eyebrows from many Nigerians who question the importance of the project at a time when the country is experiencing its worst economic crisis in decades.
