News Investigators/ Some personalities across political party lines on Monday accompanied the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, to inspect the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
Mr Umahi said at the inspection that there was the need for more Nigerians to know more about the project to be able to appreciate the efforts of President Bola Tinubu on infrastructure development.
“I want the people of our country to appreciate what the President is doing. Let them evaluate and then tell the story.
“If this is an investment, let them evaluate it, if it is unprofitable, they have to tell the story,” the minister said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, Segun Showunmi, a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party, and some civil society activists, were among the personalities.
Mr Umahi said that enormous efforts had gone into the coastal highway project aimed to physically connect the western and south-eastern regions of Nigeria to improve cross-country connectivity and trade relations.
NAN reports that the highway will pass through Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states before ending in Calabar.
Commenting, Mr Showunmi, also the Convener of the Alternative Movement, said that there was the need to build a consensus around development.
“ We must accept, as Nigerian citizens, that there are times in our history when we must breathe in and breathe out and begin to look at how we can develop our nation.
“The honourable minister, who in my opinion is one of the most accessible, conscientious and easy-to-relate with, invited us to look at this project.
“We will look at it on behalf of Nigerians with the critical eye of the Nigerian.
“We will say what we will see and query what we think should be queried and converse on your behalf,” he said.
NAN
