The Federal Government has defended the ongoing Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project, stating that critics should refrain from using the road once it is completed.
Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, made this remark in Akure, Ondo State, while unveiling a 71-kilometre section of the project. He dismissed claims that the initiative is fraudulent or wasteful, responding to criticisms from former President Olusegun Obasanjo and others.
Umahi emphasised the transparency of the project, stating that all details are in the public domain and stakeholders have been engaged throughout the process.
He stated, “This Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is one of the four legacy projects of Mr President. For those saying it is a waste of resources, when the project is completed, they should not use the road.
“This is not a wasteful project, and it is not fraudulent. If someone is saying it’s a fraud, that person is also implying that I am a fraud, and I am definitely not.
“This project has been highly transparent, and that is why we continue to engage with stakeholders. Every step of the process has been open, and all details are in the public domain.
“The man, by his age, deserves our respect, but it is my duty as the Minister of Works to ensure that the project is neither wasteful nor corrupt. I read on social media people asking why I am the one explaining instead of the contractor.
“What should the contractor say? It is my duty to explain, and I am eminently qualified to do so, given my years in public service and my training as a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
“I believe that anyone still criticising the project is simply questioning how one person can be credited with such a legacy—especially if they had the opportunity to contribute to such an investment and failed to do so,” he added.
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