Umahi tackles Atiku, to provide cost of Lagos-Calabar coastal highway Friday

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said the total cost and breakdown of the ongoing Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project will be made available to the public on Friday.

This was contained in a statement signed by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media, Orji Uchenna, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Umahi also explained that despite the soaring costs of materials in the construction industry due to commodity price inflation and supply chain disruptions, the ministry is committed to prudence, cost-effectiveness, promptness, and quality delivery of road projects remains unmatched.

The minister’s assurance comes against the backdrop of serious contentions in recent days over the costs and bidding process of the 700km coastal highway project.

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 general election, Atiku Abubakar, had questioned the Tinubu administration’s decision to award the contract to Gilbert Chagoury’s Hitech without competitive bidding, daring the president to disclose the full cost of the Lagos-Calabar highway project.

He also wondered why the Tinubu administration released N1.06tn for the pilot phase, or six per cent of the project, which begins at Eko Atlantic and is expected to terminate at the Lekki Deep Sea Port.