Minister of Works Engr. Dave Umahi yesterday urged former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, to explain to Nigerians why he said the Lagos- Calabar Coastal Highway project was wasteful and corrupt.
Umahi spoke in Lagos against the backdrop of claims by the former president on the ongoing highway project.
He said the former president remained his mentor and political father who visited him when he was the governor of Ebonyi State and applauded his transparency, adding that if Obasanjo was saying the projects he is handling as minister are corrupt it meant that he learnt corruption from him.
He referenced the Siemens power project and Nitel and privatisation deals that were done under the former president’s watch from 1999-2007 but failed to achieve the desired results.
The minister said, ‘’Is it wasteful that it would be an evacuation corridor for Dangote Refinery, deep sea ports and free trade zones, is it wasteful that it would connect all existing roads infrastructure together, is it wasteful that along the corridor we would have windmill energy, is it wasteful that it would help the Apapa Ports and other ports in Calabar.
‘’Is it wasteful that Dangote Refinery will pass through it? I am not seeing the sense that he is saying it is wasteful. When you say it is wasteful, you have not told us why it is wasteful, when you say it is corrupt, you haven’t told us why it is corrupt.
‘’The former president has been to Ebonyi many times when I was governor and he commended our transparency. Suddenly if a father says his son is corrupt, it is up to the son to say I am not corrupt and if the father is insisting that his son his corrupt then he learnt it from his father.’’
He said the former president merely bandied figures when he stated that the Lagos-Calabar project would cost over 11 billion dollars to complete even as he stressed that the figures the president weaved together were not attuned with the economic realities on ground.
Umahi added that the ongoing Lagos-Calabar projects is one of the biggest road infrastructure of concrete pavement instead of asphalt roads that is prone to frequent destruction and potholes.
“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.
“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 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,” he said
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.
He commended the president on the increase in federal presence in the state through many infrastructure 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.
