During a recent inspection of the Enugu-Port Harcourt dual carriageway, Works Minister Dave Umahi took aim at former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s assessment of the ongoing Lagos-Calabar coastal road project.
Umahi accused Atiku of having a “poor understanding of figures” and labelled his remarks as a “gross misrepresentation of facts and figures,” suggesting that they were an attempt to mislead the public.
Umahi’s remarks came in response to Atiku’s questioning of the contract awarded to Hitech Construction Company without competitive bidding. Atiku also raised concerns about the total cost of the project, stating that N1.06 trillion had been released for the pilot phase.
Umahi defended the administration’s handling of the project, highlighting its prudence, cost-effectiveness, and commitment to quality delivery despite the challenges posed by the cost of construction materials. He pledged to provide further clarification on the project’s figures during an upcoming press conference in Lagos.
Additionally, Umahi emphasised the significance of the coastal highway, stating that it would connect the entire country and not just the Southsouth and Southwest regions. He also mentioned ongoing projects such as the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway and the East-West road.
Umahi warned contractors to expedite their work on the East-West road, threatening to assign portions of the project to other contractors if progress isn’t accelerated. He stressed the government’s commitment to timely completion of infrastructure projects to benefit the public.
