The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has cautioned that the ongoing demolition of various properties for the purpose of setting up the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway could lead to the loss of thousands of jobs nationwide.
In a series of posts on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, Obi said that the project is a misplaced priority given the urgent economic and security crisis prevalent in the country.
While admitting the economic benefits of the project, Obi said that the construction could lead to the loss of more jobs amid a high unemployment rate.
Moreover, this is not the first time the former Anambra State governor is calling the government out on the project.
In an earlier statement last week, Obi has advised the Federal Government to prioritize existing unfinished projects spread across the country instead of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
Furthermore, he said that the budget allocated to the Ministry of Works is insufficient for significant progress on the country’s various unfinished roads, much less their completion.
Back in March, Nairemetrics reported that the Federal Government has begun constructing the 700-kilometer Lagos – Calabar Coastal Highway, designed to extend through nine states with two spurs leading to the Northern states.
Since the announcement, there have been various controversies around the viability and cost of the project.
