- His comments came after a heated live exchange between Umahi and an Arise TV presenter
- The commencement of the 700-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in 2024
- The government would not accept delays or variations after mobilisation
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has reacted to the ongoing controversy surrounding the cost of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, which was approved by President Bola Tinubu.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that in a viral video on Friday, Makinde said the Minister of Works, David Umahi, should not “dance around the cost” of the project, stressing the need for transparency.
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His comments came after a heated live exchange between Umahi and Arise TV presenter Rufai Oseni, who had asked the minister to break down the cost of the project per kilometre.
Umahi rejected the request, insisting that the cost varied across sections and would be too complex for the journalist to understand. He argued that payments would be made only after verified work had been completed.
The minister said, “The prices differ from one kilometre to another. Keep quiet and stop saying what you don’t know. I am a professor in this field, and you have no knowledge of what you’re asking.”
Responding, Oseni told Umahi to “keep dignifying himself” and let Nigerians see his true character. Makinde, however, defended the journalist’s question, saying Umahi should have provided an average estimate.
“When we did the Oyo to Iseyin road, it cost about N9.99 billion for 34 kilometres — about N238 million per kilometre,” Makinde said. “Iseyin to Ogbomoso was 76 kilometres for N43 billion, which is around N500 million per kilometre.”
The Federal Government had announced the commencement of the 700-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in 2024. The first phase, covering 47.47 kilometres, is being handled by Hitech Construction Company Limited under a concrete pavement design.
Umahi said all contractors must deliver projects on schedule, warning that the government would not accept delays or variations after mobilisation.
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