Atiku Raises Concerns Over Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Alleges Potential For Corruption

Atiku Raises Concerns Over Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Alleges Potential For Corruption....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, has strongly criticized the assertions made by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration regarding the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project.

In a statement released by his Media Office in Abuja on Thursday, Atiku condemned the claims made by Works Minister Dave Umahi, labeling them as wasteful and indicative of potential fraud. Umahi had suggested that the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway might cost around N15.6 trillion, a figure Atiku deemed exorbitant.

Atiku particularly denounced Umahi’s alteration of the project plan after awarding the contract to Gilbert Chagoury’s Hitech without competitive bidding. Initially, Umahi had indicated that Hitech would fully finance the project, eliminating the need for competitive bidding. However, he later disclosed that Hitech could only raise 6% of the required funds for the pilot phase, raising concerns about transparency.

The former Vice President highlighted the staggering nature of the proposed cost, which equates to the combined budgets of all 36 states of the federation. He criticized the lack of clarity surrounding the counterpart funding component and expressed skepticism over the discrepancy between the announced cost and the project’s actual budget allocation.

Atiku questioned Umahi’s inconsistency regarding the nature of the project’s financing, citing previous assurances of private sector involvement through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP). He also raised concerns about the absence of competitive bidding and the potential for inflated costs.

Furthermore, Atiku criticized Umahi for allegedly misleading the public about the status of funds released to Hitech, highlighting conflicting statements made by the Works Minister regarding the matter.

In urging greater accountability and transparency, Atiku called on the National Assembly to fulfill its oversight responsibilities and investigate the project thoroughly. He emphasized the need for competitive bidding to ensure value for money and expressed doubts about Umahi’s assertions regarding the project’s feasibility and cost.

In conclusion, Atiku reiterated his commitment to exposing and addressing questionable practices in government procurement and project implementation, emphasizing the importance of transparency and accountability in driving sustainable development.

For more information join our WhatsApp group by clicking the link here: WhatsApp Group Invite

Stay connected via Google News

Follow us for the latest travel updates and guides.