Even Enemies Will Testify Lagos-Calabar Highway Is Tinubu’s Best Gift — Umahi

The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has described the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project as the best gift of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to Nigerians.

He said residents of Lagos were already feeling the positive impact of the project, noting that a journey from Epe to Lagos, which previously took seven to eight hours, now takes about 15 minutes.

Umahi spoke on Monday at the flag-off of the dualisation of the Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode road at the Open Field of Legacy Estate, along the Idi Ayunre axis.

“You know, some people say the Lagos-Calabar Highway leads to nowhere, and I said it’s a pity. Go and ask people in Lagos; go ask even enemies; they will testify that this is the best gift of this administration.

“Before, you are moving from Epe to Lagos; you would spend seven hours. I have once spent eight hours. Today, within 15 minutes, you will move from VI straight down to Epe and to the Lekki Seaport; this is a miracle,” Umahi said.

The minister also responded to criticism over the procurement process for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, particularly claims that there was no competitive bidding before the current contractor was selected.

Insisting that due process was followed, Umahi said the contractor was selected through special procurement based on its track record.

“And when people talk about ‘Oh, this project is not procured’, I laugh at them, and I continue to explain: there are three kinds of procurement: There is special procurement, there is restrictive procurement, and then there is advertisement. And when you are doing special procurement, it is allowed; the Senators are here.

“We used that because we looked at the man who tamed the Atlantic Ocean; who did he use? It is Hightech. If Hightech could tame the Atlantic Ocean by the audacity of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, then the Coastal Road has no other qualified contractor to do it than this.

“So, when people say it didn’t go through due process, I ask you, are you better than the Dutch Bank that called for international funding and then this project was oversubscribed by $100m?” he said.

‘Work ongoing on existing roads’

The former Ebonyi State governor also dismissed claims that the Tinubu administration had embarked on new road projects while abandoning existing roads to deteriorate.

According to the minister, there was no existing road that the government was not currently working on.

“And let me correct an impression: there is no existing road that we are not working on. All the legacy projects that the president is doing, 95 per cent of them are passing through the existing roads that never worked, and the president is working on them.”

President Tinubu was represented by Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun at the flag-off of the project, which was recently approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode corridor is a major route linking communities in Oyo and Ogun states, while also serving as an important route for the movement of people, agricultural produce, goods and services across the South-West.