The former Senator representing Bayelsa East Senatorial District and founder of Silverbird Group, Ben Murray-Bruce has berated the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi for opposition the monumental Lagos-Calabar coastal road project being undertaken by the Tinubu administration.
The former Bayelsa Senator in a Common Sense series video stated that with the commencement of construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal road, a new era in Nigeria’s transportation history has begun. He noted that the project is proof of the transformative power of visionary leadership by President Bola Tinubu who put as Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, who he described as “a man of unwavering dedication”.
Murray-Bruce explained that the Lagos-Calabar coastal road would be a game changer for entrepreneurs, investors and travellers and would unlock new opportunities and boost economic growth. He therefore wondered why some disgruntled people are opposing the project.
“I would suggest that such enemies of progress should not ply the road when it is completed and stick to the old long and treacherous routes”, Bruce stated.
The Silverbird Group Founder further noted that with the construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal road, President Bola Tinubu is not just building a highway, rather he is also crafting a legacy of prosperity and growth, adding that the Lagos-Calabar highway will be a lifeline for business, a catalyst for economic development and a symbol of hope for a brighter future.
The Lagos-Calabar coastal road project has recently been a subject of intense debate and controversy. The former vice president of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has raised several concerns on the structure of the contract financing and mode of award of the contract of the 47km phase 1 section of the coastal road to Hitech, accusing the Tinubu administration of opaqueness, conflict of interest and breach of public procurement rules in the award process.
His Labour Party counterpart, Mr. Peter Obi on his part has outrightly opposed the construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal road, describing it as a waste of resources at this point, and added that the road project is also going to lead to the loss of 100,000 jobs and businesses along the corridor of the road. Obi, who appeared ignorant on the funding structure of the project and its EPC+ nature, called on the Federal Government to stop the project and instead channel the funds to complete existing “internal federal roads”.
Obi’s call for cancellation of the project has irked many people both within South West and the Niger Delta, who are now berating the former Anambra State governor for opposing such a monumental project. South South Governors also met to endorse the project while many Niger Delta youth groups warned Mr. Peter Obi to allow the Federal Government construct the road, which will open up many communities in the Niger Delta while also creating massive amount of jobs.