PAUL Ibe, media adviser to former vice president and presidential candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has tackled the Federal Government over 750km Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.
In a post on Tuesday, Ibe said more than two years after construction began, Minister of Works, David Umahi, admitted there is no single engineering design covering entire highway.
“More than two years after construction began, Works Minister David Umahi says there is no single engineering design covering the entire 750km Lagos-Calabar coastal highway. It is being designed and costed section by section,” Ibe wrote.
He said different terrain requires different designs, but controversy is whether government has clear, coordinated and financially credible plan for entire project.
“Different terrain requires different designs. That is not the controversy. The question is whether Tinubu’s government has a clear, coordinated and financially credible plan for the entire project it keeps celebrating,” he stated.
Ibe claimed that Umahi rejected N15 trillion estimate for project, but has not provided government’s own estimate.
“Umahi rejects the N15 trillion estimate fine. What is the government’s own current estimate? What has been committed, what is funded, and when will the entire highway be completed?” he asked.
He noted that yesterday’s “diversion” is today’s “spur,” explained away as slip of professorial tongue, adding that construction commenced under provisional environmental approval while assessments proceed section by section.
“For a supposedly signature project, Nigerians keep receiving explanations in installments,” Ibe said.
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He challenged the minister to publish coordinated route plan, sectional designs and costs, procurement records, environmental approvals, compensation obligations and financing arrangements.
“Mr Minister, publish the coordinated route plan, sectional designs and costs, procurement records, environmental approvals, compensation obligations and financing arrangements. You cannot claim credit for an entire 750km highway, then retreat into sectional explanations whenever accountability is demanded,” Ibe stated.
He added that Nigerians are not asking every kilometre to look alike but asking government’s explanations to add up.
“Nigerians are not asking every kilometre to look alike. We are asking the government’s explanations to add up. Public money deserves a clear plan – not a moving target,” Ibe added.
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