UMAHI PROJECTS LAGOS-CALABAR COASTAL HIGHWAY COMPLETION WITHIN THREE YEARS
Read Time:4 Minute, 2 Second
By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has projected that the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will be completed within the next three years, potentially placing its delivery around 2029.
Umahi gave the projection during an interview with Arise Television on Friday, where he defended the Federal Government’s infrastructure priorities and its decision to pursue major legacy projects amid concerns over the condition of existing federal roads.
Asked when the entire highway would be completed, the minister said the government was targeting delivery within three years.
“We have four years plus by God’s special grace. So we are looking at three years,” he said.
When pressed on whether he was confident that the entire 750-kilometre road would be completed within that period, Umahi attributed his projection to his faith and confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“I’m a child of God. Faith is the evidence of things not seen. Okay, so I’m giving you the faith I have and the president that I know, that I believe that within the next three years plus, the president will be able to complete that project,” he said.
However, the minister did not provide a detailed construction timetable or specific completion dates for the highway’s individual sections.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is one of the Federal Government’s flagship infrastructure projects, designed to connect coastal communities and improve transportation along Nigeria’s southern corridor.
Its construction has generated debate over procurement procedures, project costs, funding priorities and the allocation of public resources, particularly as motorists continue to contend with deteriorating conditions on several existing federal roads.
Defending the ministry’s infrastructure programme, Umahi said about 17,000 kilometres of federal roads were currently under construction or reconstruction, excluding major legacy projects.
“Out of about 35,000 kilometres of our federal roads, the one that is before me in the Ministry of Works, if you remove the few legacy projects we are constructing, we are constructing 17,000 kilometres of roads presently,” he said.
The minister added that the administration had completed approximately 1,700 kilometres of roads since taking office, alongside more than six kilometres of flyovers, bridges and underpasses.
Addressing concerns about investing in new highways while existing roads remained in poor condition, Umahi argued that the legacy projects were not entirely new-road developments.
“I’ve said that the legacy projects are not entirely greenfield. And so that justification is that we are also reworking the existing roads within these four legacy projects,” he said.
He also defended the financing arrangements for the projects, saying they were structured to attract investment rather than rely solely on direct government funding.
“These legacy projects are investment-driven because 30 per cent is from companies of the federal government and 70 per cent is loan-driven,” Umahi stated.
The minister cited congestion along the Lagos corridor as another reason for developing the coastal highway, warning that traffic conditions could worsen without additional infrastructure.
“In the next five years, unless something is done in the corridor from VI to Lekki, it becomes, you know, a car park because of the congestion. And that’s why we are building the seven taxi route,” he said.
Umahi also addressed the controversy surrounding plans to engage 4,000 social media influencers to promote the administration’s projects, saying the initiative would be funded personally rather than through the Ministry of Works.
“Dave Umahi is funding, not Minister of Works, is funding influencers to advertise what I’m doing because I believe in what I’m doing. I believe in what the president is doing,” he said.
He added that the initiative would also promote Tinubu’s activities nationwide.
“I am funding 4,000 influencers to advertise what the president is doing and it’s a catalyst for campaigning for him all over Nigeria,” the minister said.
Asked whether the influencers would also campaign for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election and respond to criticism of the administration, Umahi acknowledged that the initiative would support the President politically.
The minister also dismissed suggestions that his criticism of Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi was motivated by his own presidential ambition, describing such speculation as disrespectful to Tinubu.
“I cannot wish the position of my boss. It is disloyalty and it’s unspiritual and disrespectful,” he said.
Umahi said his political future would depend on his personal convictions and belief in divine direction.
He added that he hoped to be remembered for infrastructure development, helping people and supporting the full integration of the South-East into national politics.
“My legacy will be the people I have made to laugh. The roads I have constructed, the people I have lifted up. And the region of South-East that I support being totally integrated,” he said.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0