Ministry blasts ex-SGF, Babachir over criticism of Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway project

...Says comment height of hypocrisy, desperation

By Chris Ochayi

The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir David Lawal has come under barrage of condemnations from the management of the Ministry of Works following his recent criticism of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway project.

The ministry in a statement issued by Hon. Bar. Orji Uchenna Orji, the
Special Adviser (Media) to the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, scolded Babachir for displaying his ignorance in the sector he knows nothing about.

“As an electrical engineer by profession, we give it to him that he may not know much about why road projects are phased and commissioned”, the ministry said.

According to the statement, “Former SGF, Babachir David Lawal’s description of the celebrated Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project as a scam is a height of political desperation.

“It is unthinkable for a man of his height to be deliberately blind to the progressive and audacious accomplishments of the Renewed Hope administration of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, in the area of road infrastructure development and the immense potential it holds to transforming Nigeria’s economic landscape.

“His criticism about the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project and the commissioning of phase 1 of the project by Mr. President even casts doubts as to his knowledge of the concept of project phasing and commissioning.

“As an electrical engineer by profession, we give it to him that he may not know much about why road projects are phased and commissioned. For the benefit of the public, he needs to be made to know that phasing of project entails the strategic division of usually large project into distinct stages or segments, often called phases, to ensure systematic planning, execution, and control.

“Each phase represents a specific portion of the project lifecycle and helps in managing complexity, allocating resources, and assessing progress before moving forward. The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is procured in phases due to the scarcity of resources and large investment requirements.

“The section commissioned has helped a lot in determining the project complexity, productivity, and time needed to deliver the whole project.

“He needs to be further informed that Mr. President is carrying on with all the ongoing projects inherited from the past administration in all the zones of the Federation, and he has made a great difference in project delivery in terms of speed, quality and value for money.

“Mr. President initiated four legacy projects that connect the major economic corridors of the 6 Geo Political Zones, including the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway project, which has 1068 km. 52% of the four legacy projects he initiated is in the North, while 48% is in the South.

“Mr. President has shown unprecedented inclusiveness in the distribution of road projects across the zones of the nation. He understands that the backbone for the development of any nation is the status of its infrastructural facilities.”

The statement added, “It is possible that Engr. Lawal doesn’t also know the importance of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project to Nigeria’s economy. He needs to know that the project is an investment for the future of Nigeria and a game changer for key sectors of the Nigerian economy, including manufacturing, oil and gas,and agriculture. It is a catalyst for industrial growth and tourism development.

“It will greatly improve access to seaports, facilitate trade , stimulate economic growth and regional integration, and it will definitely expand the transportation ecosystem. Yes, it is the biggest economic corridor in Africa, no doubt about it.

“I urge him to concentrate on the thoughts of containing with the imminent and immanent disgraceful collapse of the gathering of the internally displaced politicians and birds of strange fellows, who are using ADC as a platform to launch their unrealistic and rhetorical political ventures.”