The Niger Delta Youths Coalition for Peace and Progress (NDYCPP) has called on President Tinubu, to order for an immediate suspension of the N1.8 trillion Lagos-Calabar coastal road project.
The coalition expressed concerns of potential duplication of efforts and financial waste if the project was allowed to continue.
The Lagos-Calabar coastal road project, spanning over 750 kilometres and featuring 160 bridges connecting the entire Niger Delta with Ibeju Lekki in Lagos State, was originally conceived by the Federal Government, with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) entrusted to oversee its development.
THISDAY gathered that the NDDC had invested over N25 billion since 2014 in feasibility studies, project scope assessments, and detailed technical studies on same project.
However, in a statement jointly signed by the National President of NDYCPP, Mr Jude Teidor, and Secretary, George Okitikpi, in Port Harcourt, on Sunday, they commended President Tinubu’s commitment to national development, but raised their concerns regarding the project’s recent developments.
The coalition said “the Federal Ministry of Works, under the leadership of Mr David Umahi, is pursuing negotiations for new construction contracts on the East-West Coastal Road without involving the NDDC.
“This raised suspicions of a Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) arrangement that would toll the road for years, potentially rendering previous NDDC efforts useless.”
They urged Tinubu to direct the Federal Ministry of Works to involve the NDDC in further negotiations with Hitech Construction Company on the project.
In addition, they urged the president to, “Mandate the House of Representatives Committee on Works to closely monitor developments on the road project within four weeks.”
The NDYCPP stakeholders emphasised the importance of harmonising efforts between the NDDC and the Federal Ministry of Works to ensure that their actions align with the existing plans for the project.
They further expressed confidence that harmonisation of the agency and Ministry of Works could transform the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project into a successful example of effective governance and collaboration for the benefit of all Nigerians.
Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
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