The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has once again, knocked President Bola Tinubu over the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project, News About Nigeria reports.
Obi called for the cancellation of the project via his X page on Tuesday, stating that it is a sign of misplaced priorities.
He stated that embarking on the project would result in a loss of jobs for many Nigerians, adding to the already teeming rate of unemployment in the country.
Recall that the Minister of Works, David Umahi, announced that the government is constructing the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway at a total cost of N4 billion per kilometre.
The government has also begun the demolition of structures on the right-of-way of the Lagos-Calabar coastal road project.
The coastal road is designed to connect Lagos to Cross River state, passing through Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom states.
Reacting to this, Obi said the FG is insensitive to the cries of the people as the project would amount to destruction of businesses and wastage of investments.
“Contrary to reason and the necessity for compassion in public policy, the federal government has commenced the controversial Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.
“The outcry against this project has been overwhelming due to the current situation in the country. However, reports as of yesterday indicate that demolition of businesses and residences in the designated right of way for the project has commenced from the Lagos end.
“The sight of this insensitive demolition is heart-wrenching. Livelihoods are being wiped away, lifetime investments are being wasted, and jobs are disappearing as bulldozers roar through. The homes of the elderly are being overturned by the power of bulldozers,” he said.
He further noted that the hasty flag-off defies the widespread outcry by the public, especially business and property owners directly affected by the project.
