Afrigather Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Social gathering within the 2023 normal elections, has expressed reservations concerning the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project. He acknowledges the undertaking’s potential however requires a assessment of its prices and timing.
Obi mentioned this in an announcement launched on his X account on Monday, mentioning the quite a few incomplete road projects throughout Nigeria, which current security hazards and hinder financial progress.
He questioned the rationale behind beginning one other large-scale undertaking given the present backlog and the restricted finances accessible for infrastructure.
The presidential candidate advocated for prioritising the completion of current tasks, emphasising fiscal self-discipline and the necessity to deal with the nation’s speedy infrastructure wants.
He prompt that finishing and rehabilitating current roads ought to take priority over launching new, formidable tasks that danger remaining unfinished for many years.
The assertion reads, “I’ve intently adopted the feedback and developments arising from the coastal (Lagos-Calabar) Tremendous freeway Mission. Whereas I’m hesitant to have interaction in contentious debates about its advantages, which I acknowledge, and the pricing, which I’ve severe considerations about, and imagine needs to be totally reviewed, I’m compelled to boost important questions concerning the timing and prioritization of such a monumental enterprise.
“On the forefront of my considerations is the urgent difficulty of quite a few uncompleted roads scattered throughout the nation, a lot of which have change into hazardous dying traps and safety dangers. It’s disheartening to witness the plight of harmless Nigerians who traverse these dilapidated roads below perilous circumstances, vulnerable to kidnappers and different risks.
“Most of those roads, very important for financial progress, regional connectivity, and general growth, have been below development for a number of years if not a long time now and are unlikely to be accomplished any time quickly resulting from poor and unplanned funding. A few of these roads in varied zones embody:
“1. NORTH-WEST Abuja – Kaduna – Zaria – Kano Highway, – Sokoto – Funtua – Zaria Highway, Kano – Hadejia Highway, Kano – Katsina Highway , Zaria – Funtua – Shema – Tsafe – Gusau – Talata – Mafara – Sokoto Highway , Kano – Kwanar – Danja – Hadejia Highway
“2. NORTH-EAST Kano – Damaturu – Maiduguri Highway – Mubi – Maiduguri Highway, Nguru – Gashua – Bayamari Highway, Gombe – Biu – Numan Highway, Dikwa – Marte – Monguno Highway, Potiskum – Fika – Bajoga – Gombe – Biu Highway , Mayo Belwa – Jada – Ganye – Tongue Highway , Tumu – Pindiga – Kashere – Bashar – Wase – Wamba – Nassarawa Highway
“3. NORTH-CENTRAL Abuja – Lokoja – Okene- Auchi – Benin Highway , Ilorin – Jebba Highway Kabba – Omuaran Highway , Suleja – Minna Highway, Makurdi – Gboko – Yandev – Katsina-Ala Highway, Buruku Bridge throughout Katsina River.
“4. SOUTH-WEST Lagos – Badagry Highway , Ibadan – Ife – Ilesha – Osogbo Highway , Itoikin – Ijebu Ode – Ibadan Highway, Ibadan – Ilorin – Jebba – Mokwa – Bokani Junction Highway Abeokuta – Ibadan Highway, Ikorodu – Shagamu Highway, Ado – Igede – Aramoko – Itawure Highway Ajasse Ipo – Offa – Erinle – Osun State Border Highway
“5. SOUTH-EAST ninth Mile – Oturkpo -Makurdi Highway, Enugu -Port Harcourt Highway , Onitsha – Awka – Enugu Highway , Onitsha – Owerri – Umuahia Highway, Bende – Arochukwu – Ohafia Highway , Okigwe – Afikpo Highway , Nsukka – Obollo Afor Ehamafu – Nkalagu Highway, Oba – Nnewi – Okija Highway
“6. SOUTH-SOUTH Benin – Sapele – Warri Highway, East – West Highway, (Warri – Kaiama – Ahoada – Port Harcourt – Eket – Oron) Yenegoa Highway, Junction – Kolo – Otuoke Highway, Sapele – Agbor – Ewu Highway, Benin – Akure – Ore – Ife Highway, Ikot Ekpene – Aba – Owerri Highway, – Jattau – Fugar – Agenebode Highway, Bodo – Bonny Highway with Bridge throughout Opobo Channel , Port Harcourt – Onne Highway, – Agbor – Sakpoba – Ogharefe Highway, Odukpani Junction – Itu – Ikot Ekpene – Umuahia Highway.
“The Federal Ministry of Works 2024 capital finances of N892,461,262,656.00, extra funding from multilateral mortgage tasks of N94,828,535,243.00, alongside different anticipated contributions from sources just like the China-Exim Financial institution and the World Financial institution, won’t be sufficient for severe work on all of the important roads, a few of which I enumerated above, not to mention their completion.
“So, why embark on one other enormous undertaking that won’t be accomplished within the subsequent 20 or 30 years? To take action will solely exacerbate the issue of deserted, uncompleted tasks that aren’t contributing to financial progress and general growth. It’s going to merely worsen our already sagging debt burden. Given the state of our financial system now, prioritization and monetary self-discipline needs to be our important guiding rules now.
“Due to this fact, whereas acknowledging the potential advantages of coastal superhighway infrastructure, I urge prioritization of our current uncompleted tasks. We should allocate sources in direction of repairing and finishing current infrastructure, essential for the well-being and security of our society, earlier than embarking on new tasks, irrespective of their perceived advantages. Let’s prioritize the pressing wants of our individuals and make sure that our investments serve the collective good of the nation.
“In any growth components, the first focus needs to be on finishing and rehabilitating current infrastructure somewhat than embarking on colossal new tasks that will by no means attain completion throughout the subsequent 30 years.”
