Atiku aide demands full plan for Lagos-Calabar coastal highway
Paul Ibe, media aide to Atiku Abubakar, has challenged the Tinubu administration to publish a coordinated master plan for the 750km Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, questioning why construction began without a single engineering design covering the entire project. In a post on X, Ibe responded to Works Minister David Umahi's explanation that the highway is being designed and costed section by section.
Ibe argues the issue isn't that different sections need different designs, but whether the government has a unified plan, credible funding, and a clear completion timeline. He demanded disclosure of the current total cost estimate, amount already committed, and when the full highway will be finished. Ibe also questioned why construction started under provisional environmental approval while assessments continue section by section.
"Nigerians are not asking every kilometre to look alike. We are asking the government's explanations to add up," Ibe wrote. "Public money deserves a clear plan—not a moving target." The highway spans nine states from Lagos through Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, to Cross River, affecting coastal communities and economies along the entire route.
When a multi-state infrastructure project of this scale proceeds without published coordinated designs, cost estimates, or financing arrangements, citizens should ask: what oversight mechanisms exist to prevent cost overruns, and how will affected communities verify environmental protections are enforced across all sections?