NewStats: 3,262,260 , 8,176,643 topics. Date: Sunday, 01 June 2025 at 04:10 PM re2l

Former lawmaker representing Kaduna Central in the National Assembly, Shehu Sani, has stated that the N15.6 trillion Lagos-Calabar coastal highway is not a wasteful project.

PUNCH Online reports that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had described the coastal highway project as a wasteful and corrupt venture.

He also criticised the President Bola Tinubu istration for spending N21 billion on a new official residence for Vice-President Kashim Shettima.

Obasanjo made these remarks in chapter six of his new book ‘Nigeria: Past and Future’, which was unveiled last week to mark his 88th birthday.

He said, “State resources are captured and appropriated, with a pittance to staff and associates to silence whistleblowers.

“Typical examples of waste, corruption and misplaced priority are the murky Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road on which the President had turned deaf ears to protests and the new Vice-President’s official residence built at a cost of N21bn in the time of economic hardship to showcase the istration hitting the ground running and to show the importance of the office of the Vice-President. What small minds!”

Reacting in a post via his official X handle on Thursday, Sani said the highway project is not wasteful, adding that the funds for the project could have been stolen.

He wrote, “I don’t think Lagos Calabar highway is wasteful, taking cognisance that such amount of money for the project can be stolen by one man, as it happened in the CBN in the past.”

https://punchng.com/lagos-calabar-highway-project-not-wasteful-shehu-sani-replies-obasanjo/

I do not think that small minds understand the value of that project to Nigerias future with regards to travel, tourism, logistics and the vast business opportunities and social development that it will birth.

Spending 15 trillion (half of the country's budget) on a single road without procurement is not only misplaced, it's fraudulent. It does not help that the contractor (Chargoury) is a business partner of the contract awardee. That's conflict of interest. A quarter of that sum would have completed the linking of the entire country by rail, as envisioned by Buhari. That would have had far more impact in of travel, tourism, logistics, business opportunities and social development.

The project never ed the transparency test also not in a time there's wild spread hunger and the country's huge debt profile.

AnonPoet:


https://punchng.com/lagos-calabar-highway-project-not-wasteful-shehu-sani-replies-obasanjo/

The Lagos-Calabar coastal highway is a transformative project set to boost economic growth, enhance connectivity, and create thousands of jobs. By improving trade, tourism, and transportation along Nigeria’s coastline, it will reduce travel time and unlock new opportunities. While transparency concerns are valid, ensuring ability and oversight is key to realizing its immense potential for millions.

The facts remains it's a wasteful venture , it or not

this one has started his new job
if Obasanjo,Yar'Adua and co embarked on such projects and put the economy at risk with lots of debt I don't think the government of the day will be breathing
Coastal highway to fraud is another avenue to embezzle funds.

Truly, it's just about selfish interest in Nigerian politics. Only few politicians in this country mean what they say...why not give us steady power first?

If completed, it's not going to be a wasteful project.

Very wasteful venture… such projects should’ve waited after economic recovery. Not a project to be done when the economy is bleeding.

What is the importance of road beside water, when we could use advanced water transportation around those areas or better still a rail system.

All d roads within the cities are totally down

Shehu sanni is now the deputy to Reno

Who asked the mumu parrot. The weyrey don turn blogger 🙄

Senator Sheu Sani is right.

I don't know why Nigeria politicians are not innovative. I have seen a former governor of 8years retuning to government house begging the incumbent for contract etc.
I have seen Senators of a term and two, still lobbying for MDA, commissioner etc.
I have seen former rep begging sitting governors for commissioner post.

With all d money they stole while in office, can't these people invest?

Infact, government should send political office holders to 3months compulsory course on investment and management.

One of the reasons I will always love HE Atiku Abubakar

phransix2:
The project never ed the transparency test also not in a time there's wild spread hunger and the country's huge debt profile.

Ur brain 🧠 need transparency tes

Leonardo4:
The facts remains it's a wasteful venture , it or not

Ur brain transparency tes

lonecatt:
this one has started his new job
if Obasanjo,Yar'Adua and co embarked on such projects and put the economy at risk with lots of debt I don't think the government of the day will be breathing
Coastal highway to fraud is another avenue to embezzle funds.

Ur brain 🧠 need transparency tes

AsgardKing:
I do not think that small minds understand the value of that project to Nigerias future with regards to travel, tourism, logistics and the vast business opportunities and social development that it will birth.

They will never reason because the hate in them is much to the extend it has killed their sense of reasoning.

fixedhollies:
Very wasteful venture… such projects should’ve waited after economic recovery. Not a project to be done when the economy is bleeding.

What is the importance of road beside water, when we could use advanced water transportation around those areas or better still a rail system.

All d roads within the cities are totally down

Ur brain 🧠need transparency test

D money wey dem use send u go skool supposed use build poultry farm

Shehu Sani and Reno Omokri are currently in a rat race to see who will impress Tinubu more, which is why they attack anything and anyone criticizing the Tinubu government.

Very vague and dụmb argument from Sani.

That one man would’ve stolen the money still doesn’t change the fact that it’s a wasteful project. The same funds would’ve still been channeled into more meaningful projects without any one stealing it.

AnonPoet:


https://punchng.com/lagos-calabar-highway-project-not-wasteful-shehu-sani-replies-obasanjo/

Senator Shehu Sani's post has deep meaning.... Think deep to decipher...
The amount of corruption inherent in Nigeria is enormous.. especially under whose watch these monies were stolen..?
The speed at which the coastal road project idea was consumed, forced on the people without any proper planning, budgetary provision, etc shows there's something deep to coverup... Seems like another bottomless jackpot for the cronies to fester on...
We can only imagine what is happening in NNPC when the veil is lifted ...

For those defending this open embezzlement that never went through standard procurement/biding processes. Yes it is good but you are the beneficiary, they are the recipient of huge profits you may never earn in your lifetime. these guys are enriching themselves and mopping up cash for the next election. Recall the former CBN governor tampered with their cash flow during the last elections and they almost lost it except for INEC chairman who was the last straw that gave them victory and the corrupt judicial system.

This one dy find appointment..mhw has become a spokesperson

It is not wasteful.

Obasanjo was already in government when Nigeria had too much money. That was in the 70s. Nigeria could have done many ambitious projects like railways, built large roads, built factories, built several energy stations, built the Lagos-Calabar coastal road, developed infrastructure for gas, built new cities like Eko Atlantic, built more refineries, and set Nigeria on the path to a sustainable future.

Had the likes of Obasanjo contributed their quota with long term vision, Nigerians would have been enjoying the results till today. In my travels, many countries' infrastructure are aged but the people were still enjoying them. They are still building new ones and upgrading old ones.

The coastal highway will not only open new economic frontiers, it would provide jobs and reduce congestion in urban areas. People can work in urban areas and go to their homes on the weekends. Prices of commodities would reduce when the ease of transportation is guaranteed.

Go to major countries, infrastructure is a major thing. China? UAE? USA?

Those opposed to the coastal highway are likely jealous that it is being done by Tinubu and not by them.

I am not saying that Obj is right but Shehus should stop being an idiot. If he is too lazy to think and put out something reasonable he should keep quiet.

So because the funds could have been stolen we should then throw it into any venture no matter how wasteful it is?

Cho, Cho, Cho!

AnonPoet:


https://punchng.com/lagos-calabar-highway-project-not-wasteful-shehu-sani-replies-obasanjo/

THANK YOU SHEHU SANI. ANY GOOD THING THAT IS DONE BY ANY OTHER PRESIDENT MUST ATTRACT CRITICISM FROM OBJ. BABA SHOULD GO AND REST AND ALLOW OTHERS TO WORK. BENIN -AUCHI-OKENE-LOKOJA-ABUJA ROAD OBJ AWARDED IN HIS FIRST TENURE, HE DIDN'T REHABILITATE A KILOMETER OF IT IN 8 YEARS. IS THE ROAD NOT IMPORTANT TO NIGERIANS? WHY WAS THE PROJECT NOT FINANCED BY HIS GOVERNMENT?
BABA BE A STATEMAN LIKE GEN. GOWON AND THE REST EX-PRESIDENTS. BIKO

AMINDA:
Spending 15 trillion (half of the country's budget) on a single road without procurement is not only misplaced, it's fraudulent. It does not help that the contractor (Chargoury) is a business partner of the contract awardee. That's conflict of interest. A quarter of that sum would have completed the linking of the entire country by rail, as envisioned by Buhari. That would have had far more impact in of travel, tourism, logistics, business opportunities and social development.

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, a 750-kilometer road, is being funded through a combination of government investment and private funding, with the contractor, Hitech Construction Company, securing 70% of the funds via an Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Financing (EPC+F) agreement, while the government provides 30%.

Meanwhile obasanjo spent $16 Billion dollars (around 28.8 trillion naira) on fictitious power projects. Lets not forget how he made everything senate rotten by bribing them so that he could get a 3rd term.

chopnaira:

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, a 750-kilometer road, is being funded through a combination of government investment and private funding, with the contractor, Hitech Construction Company, securing 70% of the funds via an Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Financing (EPC+F) agreement, while the government provides 30%.

Meanwhile obasanjo spent $16 Billiom dollars on fictitious power projects. Lets not forget how he made everything senate rotten by bribing them so that he could get a 3rd term.

You are aware that two events could be true at the same time?

dettolgel:


You are aware that two events could be true at the same time?

Yes but not from a corrupt man like OBJ throwing stones. At least the FG is only putting down 30%. Obj, a crook, is calling out another crook. Lol.

AMINDA:
Spending 15 trillion (half of the country's budget) on a single road without procurement is not only misplaced, it's fraudulent. It does not help that the contractor (Chargoury) is a business partner of the contract awardee. That's conflict of interest. A quarter of that sum would have completed the linking of the entire country by rail, as envisioned by Buhari. That would have had far more impact in of travel, tourism, logistics, business opportunities and social development.

Is it the govt that is financing the project? My understanding is that a higher percentage of the project is financed by the private sector. I am sure the private sector will provide the bigger chunk of needed finance. What's wrong with having foreign direct investment into Nigeria's infrastructure.