Makinde Questions Umahi’s Justification of Coastal Highway Costs

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has raised concerns over the cost breakdown of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, a project recently approved by President Bola Tinubu.

Speaking at a public event captured in a viral video on Friday, Makinde said there was no need for the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to “dance around the cost” of the controversial project. The governor’s remarks came in response to a live television exchange between Umahi and Arise TV presenter Rufai Oseni on Tuesday.

During the interview, Oseni asked the minister to provide a kilometre-by-kilometre analysis of the highway’s cost. Umahi reacted sharply, insisting the question was “elementary” and too complex for public understanding. He defended the variance in costs per kilometre, stating that payments would follow standard certification and approval processes within the Ministry of Works.

Makinde, however, argued that Umahi’s explanation was evasive. He cited recent road projects in Oyo State to illustrate the need for transparency. “When we did the Oyo-Iseyin road, 34 kilometres cost about N10 billion, averaging N238 million per kilometre. The Iseyin-Ogbomoso road, 76 kilometres, cost N43 billion, averaging N500 million per kilometre. Costs vary depending on scope, but averages can be calculated,” the governor said.

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, spanning 700 kilometres across nine states with additional spurs to northern regions, is currently under construction. The first phase, a 47.47-kilometre dual carriageway, was handed over to Hitech Construction Company Limited for concrete pavement works.

In a statement, Umahi, accompanied by the Federal Ministry of Works’ Lagos State Controller, Mrs. O. I. Kesha, emphasised the need for contractors to complete projects promptly, warning against delays or cost variations once mobilisation is done