Former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has voiced concerns over the controversial Lagos-Calabar coastal road project, stating that it’s not too late for President Bola Tinubu to halt the project and open it up for further public discussions.
Chidoka suggested that instead of focusing on the coastal road, the government should prioritize the improvement of Nigeria’s inland waterways and the construction of small seaports along the coast.
He argued that shipping goods from one coastal city to another would be more efficiently done by sea.
During an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Chidoka emphasized that if he were the President, he would stop the project immediately and subject it to public scrutiny.
He criticized the lack of transparency in the awarding of the contract, suggesting that due process was not followed and that the project did not undergo competitive bidding as required by financial institutions.
Chidoka proposed alternative legacy projects for President Tinubu, such as redesigning the national highway, authorizing a new National Highway Act to dualize existing highways, and connecting them to airports and seaports.
The Lagos-Calabar coastal road project has faced significant criticism from Nigerians, especially considering the nation’s current borrowing for existing projects.
Opposition figures, including Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, have been among the project’s strongest critics.
The Federal Government has already commenced construction of the 700km Lagos-Calabar coastal road, which is being executed by Hitech Construction Company Ltd.
In response to the growing concerns, the House of Representatives passed a resolution to investigate the procurement process of the ₦15 trillion coastal road project. They cited violations of the 2007 Procurement Act and noted that certain approvals required by law were not obtained.
