The construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu deserves commendation. The 700km road when completed will boast economic activities in the states it passed and contribute to national development. However, the road has attracted some criticisms from some Nigerians, including politicians.
The construction of the rood, which on completion will attract toll, has begun at the Lagos end with demolition of buildings on the right of way. The federal government estimates that when completed, the road will stand as the largest single infrastructure in Nigeria and will pass through Lekki Deep Seaport, Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Cross River and Akwa-Ibom states.
According to the Minster for Works, Dave Umahi, the road would have two spurs that will link up with Northern Nigeria to further integrate the North and South in terms of movement of people, goods and services.
The duration of the construction is eight years at the cost of N4 billion per km totalling N15 trillion. The first phase of the highway that will run through the nine coastal states is the 47.47km section beginning from Victoria Island, Lagos. It has five lanes on each side of the dual carriage way and a train track in the middle. The superhighway is being built by Hitech Construction Company, with part of the funding sourced by the contractors.
The government believes that the highway will usher in a new era of ambitious road infrastructure development in Nigeria and will fill the gap in road infrastructure.
However, some critics have faulted the project. The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, has questioned the huge cost of the road and absence of due process in the award of the contract.
According to Atiku, the tentative cost of the road is the equivalent of the total budget of all the 36 states of the federation combined. He said, “the total budget of all 36 states of the federation for 2024 stands at about N14 trillion. If you add that of the FCT, the entire budget of all sub-nationals is N15.91 trillion. This is scandalous. Worse still, they have already awarded the contract but are still not sure of the level of the counterpart funding component of the federal government.” Irked by the opacity in the contract award, Atiku described it as wasteful.
Similarly, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) and former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has expressed concerns about the cost of the highway and the timing. While acknowledging its potential benefits, Obi has questioned its priority and timing. He says that the money earmarked for the road would have been deployed to fix many deplorable roads across the country.
Some of the deplorable roads include the Abuja/Kaduna/ Zaria/Kano road; Sokoto/Funtua/Zaria road; Kano/ Hadejia road; Kano/Katsina road; Zaria/Funtua/Shema/ Tsafe/Gusau/Talata/Mafara/Sokoto road, and the Kano/ Kwanar/Danja/Hadejia road.
Others are the Lagos/Badagry road; Ibadan/Ife/Ilesha/ Osogbo road; Itoikin/Ijebu Ode/Ibadan road; Ibadan/ Ilorin/Jebba/Mokwa/Bokani Junction road; Abeokuta/ Ibadan Road Ikorodu/Shagamu road, and Ado/Igede/ Aramoko/Itawure Road Ajasse Ipo/Offa/Erinle/Osun State Border road.
The 9th Mile/Otukpo/Makurdi Road/Enugu Port Harcourt Road; Onitsha/Awka/Enugu Road; Onitsha/Owerri/ Umuahia road; Bende/Arochukwu/Ohafia road; Okigwe/ Afikpo road; Nsukka/Obollo Afor Ehamafu/Nkalagu road; Oba/Nnewi/Okija road.
Despite the criticisms from the opposition and other Nigerians, the federal government is bent on carrying on with the project, arguing that its benefits outweigh the cost. There is no doubt that the road will create jobs and businesses. It will stimulate economic growth. Every road project brings development.
However, there is need for transparency in the execution of the project. Government should always be transparent in its transactions, especially in the award of road contracts of that magnitude. Good governance entails adhering to due process in government’s activities. Where there is absence of due process in the ward of contracts, public trust wanes.
While the construction of the road is ongoing, the government should not abandon other road projects such as the East/West road and the Port Harcourt/Enugu road. These roads should be completed. Also, other sectors of the economy should not be neglected.
Nigeria is currently facing infrastructure deficit and institutional collapse. The medical sector is in near comatose and education sector is not faring well. Professionals in various fields are leaving the country in droves due to poor conditions of service. The brain drain in the health sector is seriously affecting the health care delivery system and needs to be addressed quickly.
No doubt, the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway is of economic importance but the government should not wave aside the criticisms trailing the project. All the grey areas must be addressed. The project should not be rushed. The government should adequately compensate those whose facilities are affected by the new highway.