In a recent inspection visit to Port Harcourt, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, rebuffed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s assertions regarding the transparency of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project. Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, raised concerns about the N700km road project’s alleged lack of transparency, particularly its award to Gilbert Chagoury’s Hitech without competitive bidding, a close ally of Tinubu.
Umahi dismissed Atiku’s remarks as ill-informed, questioning his grasp of the project’s financial intricacies. Umahi expressed his intention to address the matter comprehensively at a forthcoming world press conference in Lagos. He extended an invitation to Atiku to engage directly with him on any procurement-related concerns, urging him to desist from politicizing the issue by targeting the President. Umahi emphasized his extensive governance experience and highlighted the effective management of projects under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Umahi assured the public of his commitment to transparency by pledging to disclose the project’s costs, underscoring his expertise in engineering and project management. He emphasized the significant economic benefits of the coastal road, emphasizing its role in enhancing regional connectivity and stimulating economic growth.
In response, Atiku’s Special Assistant, Paul Ibe, challenged the Tinubu administration to provide clarity on the project’s costs, stressing the importance of transparency for ensuring accountability. Atiku’s camp presented a series of inquiries aimed at eliciting transparency from the administration.
(credits : Business Day)
