Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi has faulted the Federal Government’s decision to proceed with the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
Mr. Obi contended that the timing of the project is ill-conceived and that it should not be a priority given the current state of the nation’s infrastructure.
“Rather than embarking on this new highway, the government’s focus should be on mending the numerous internal roads that are in a state of disrepair,” he stated.
He is convinced that by improving these existing roads, there would be a significant boost to the country’s economic growth.
The former Anambra State Governor therefore called for an urgent reassessment of the highway project, suggesting that the government should instead concentrate on the road projects that have been left incomplete within the various geopolitical zones.
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He added that which if such abandoned projects are completed, they would elevate the living standards of the impoverished and enhance daily domestic production. According to a statement by Obi’s Chief Spokesperson, Dr. Tanko Yunusa, Obi has serious concerns about the coastal superhighway project.
He said, “I have closely followed the comments and developments arising from the coastal superhighway project. While I acknowledge its benefits, I have serious concerns about its pricing, which I believe should be thoroughly reviewed.”
“I feel compelled to raise essential questions about the timing and prioritization of such ventures.” He added
Obi’s concern extends to the multitude of unfinished roads scattered throughout the country, which he refers to as “hazardous death traps and security risks.” He said he finds it troubling that citizens are forced to navigate these perilous roads, exposing them to kidnappers and other threats.
He highlighted several critical roads in need of attention, including the Abuja – Kaduna – Zaria – Kano road, Sokoto – Funtua – Zaria road, Kano – Hadejia road, Kano – Katsina road, and the Zaria – Funtua – Shema – Tsafe – Gusau – Talata – Mafara – Sokoto road.
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The Labour party candidate in 2023 pointed out that the Federal Ministry of Works’ 2024 capital budget of N892 billion, along with additional funding from multilateral loan projects amounting to N94,828,535,243.00, and expected contributions from entities like the China-Exim Bank and the World Bank, would still fall short for substantial work on all the critical roads.
“So why embark on another huge project that will not be completed in the next 20 or 30 years? To do so will only exacerbate the problem of abandoned, uncompleted projects that are not contributing to economic growth and overall development.”
“In any development formula, the primary focus should be on repairing existing infrastructure rather than embarking on colossal projects that may never reach completion within the next 30 years,” Obi added.
