Complete existing projects before considering coastal highway — Obi

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in last year’s general elections, Peter Obi, has advised the federal government to focus on completing and rehabilitating existing infrastructure in the country rather than embarking on colossal new projects that may never reach completion in the next 30 years.

In a series of posts on his X handle, Obi questioned the timing and prioritisation of the project, while stressing that his concern is about the pressing issue of numerous uncompleted roads scattered across the country, many of which, have become death traps and security risks to citizens.

Obi’s comment is coming on the heels of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who described the controversial 700km Lagos-Calabar coastal road project as wasteful and a highway to fraud.

The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, however, defended the project, as in the national interest and development.

• Tinubu re-constitutes NEITI national stakeholders’ working group
• Scheffler wins storm-delayed RBC Heritage

While noting that roads are vital for economic growth, regional connectivity and overall development of the country, Obi, a former Anambra State governor, said that continuing with the Lagos-Calabar super highway project will only exacerbate the problem of abandoned and uncompleted projects.

He said most of the roads, vital for economic growth, regional connectivity and overall development, have been under construction for several years if not decades now and are unlikely to be completed any time soon due to poor and unplanned funding.