Rufai Oseni, a presenter on Arise News’ Morning Show, has continued to raise concerns about the Lagos-Calabar coastal road project via his Twitter account. CONTINUE READING
1. The Road project is expected to take 5 years to complete: would it not be more economically viable to commence the roadworks in the least commercially active areas along the Road as against the current intention of immediately decimating an Ecosystem that supports over 80 businesses and consequently the livelihoods of thousands of Nigerians?
2. Were all businesses, communities, and stakeholders whose businesses and property are currently under imminent threat of destruction properly notified or consulted on the adverse effects of the Road so that a win-win solution could be achieved?
3. In view of the fact that one of the main objectives of the Road project is to grow tourism and its attendant socio-economic benefits, why is such a commendable undertaking starting by demolishing the already existing homegrown tourism businesses that are already contributing greatly to the beachfront tourism landscape and overall economy in terms of tax revenue, job creation, SME development, etc?
4. The entire Road measures 700km: is it not possible to reroute less than a 1.5km stretch of it back to its original course on the unoccupied Water Corporation Road median in order to avoid the destruction of local businesses and livelihoods located along the current intended right of way?
5. Was due process followed in awarding the contract to Hitech Construction Company Limited?
6. Why was the Julius Berger contract cancelled? Who cancelled it and when was this done?
7. How many contractors have been appointed with respect to this Project?
8. The Road was originally meant to be developed on a Build, Operate and Transfer (“BOT”) basis: why has government reversing course and now self-funding it?
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