The government has reaffirmed its commitment to completing the construction of the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway despite facing legal challenges from affected parties. The Minister of Works addressed concerns regarding the project’s procurement process, emphasizing that all necessary legal and procedural requirements were met before construction began.
The coastal highway project, which aims to enhance connectivity and economic activities along Nigeria’s coastal region, has faced criticism and controversies since construction commenced. Issues such as property demolition, inadequate compensation, and procurement transparency have been raised by stakeholders and experts.
The Minister defended the project’s cost and procurement process, stating that it had been approved through proper channels. He also highlighted the completion of environmental and social impact assessments and inclusion in the 2023 supplementary appropriation.
Efforts to ensure value for money in government projects, such as monitoring project execution on-site and engaging stakeholders for quality control, were outlined. Despite funding challenges, the government remains optimistic, introducing a Public-Private Partnership scheme for the highway’s second phase development.
Collaboration between different levels of government and the private sector was emphasized to guarantee the success of these initiatives. The Minister praised President Tinubu’s infrastructure agenda and outlined plans to focus on completing key projects in 2025, aiming for their commissioning by the President.
The Ministry’s achievements over the past year were highlighted, with significant progress made on ongoing projects. Funding gaps and market realities were acknowledged, leading to a review of projects to align with current economic conditions.