- Umahi defended the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project
- He said work is advancing across several sections
- The minister expressed confidence Tinubu will complete the project
Minister of Works, David Umahi, has defended the ongoing 700-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, dismissing criticism of the project and insisting that President Bola Tinubu’s administration will complete it as planned.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that Umahi, who spoke on Wednesday while inspecting work on the Ondo section of the highway in Ilaje Local Government Area, said those questioning the project’s viability were motivated by envy and had underestimated the administration’s ability to execute it.
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His remarks were in response to comments by former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke, who recently argued during a television interview that the highway would not extend beyond Lagos.
Rejecting the claim, Umahi maintained that construction was progressing steadily across multiple sections of the project.
According to him, the first section, covering 7.47 kilometres from Victoria Island to Elepe Village in Lagos, has been completed. He added that the second section, a 50-kilometre stretch linking Lagos to the Ogun border, is about 70 per cent complete.
The minister also disclosed that construction on Sections 3A and 3B, spanning about 67 kilometres, has reached roughly 30 per cent completion, while work is advancing on Section 4, an 82-kilometre segment running from Ogun into Ondo State.
Umahi further noted that Section 5, a 180-kilometre stretch in Akwa Ibom State and the longest segment of the project, is currently under construction.
He explained that another 100-kilometre section beginning from the end of the Ondo segment is presently at the design stage, while only the portions passing through Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states would remain afterward.
While acknowledging Donald Duke’s contributions and describing him as a respected leader, Umahi disagreed with his assessment of the project.
He said Duke conducted himself respectfully during the interview but insisted that his conclusion about the highway was incorrect.
According to the minister, the coastal highway was conceived many years ago but could not be implemented because of financial and logistical constraints.
He argued that critics failed to believe the project could become a reality under the current administration and expressed confidence that President Tinubu would see it through to completion.
Umahi also praised the President’s leadership, saying his track record demonstrated the capacity to deliver major infrastructure projects.
He called on Nigerians and other stakeholders to continue supporting the Federal Government as work progresses on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
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