Umahi Replies Seyi Makinde Over Lagos–Calabar Highway Cost, Says Oyo Governor Got It Wrong

The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has replied to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s criticism of the cost of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway project.

Umahi said the governor misunderstood the technical details behind the figures and turned a complex engineering issue into “political talk.”

Speaking on Saturday during an inspection of the Keffi Bridge and Nasarawa–Toto Road projects in Nasarawa State, Umahi said the cost of the coastal highway was properly calculated and met international standards.

Governor Makinde had, in a viral video on Friday, questioned Umahi’s explanation about the cost per kilometre of the highway. He accused the minister of “dancing around” the figures and demanded transparency on how funds were being spent.

Makinde said, “These are simple questions. The process is ongoing, money has been released, and we deserve to know how it’s being used. The funds are meant for the project and should be paid only for completed work.”

Responding, Umahi described Makinde as “a brother and friend” but said it was wrong to make such public comments without a full understanding of the engineering side of the project.

“I heard my brother, Governor Makinde, talking about the cost per kilometre. I don’t want to argue with him,” Umahi said. “I believe he’s an engineer, and I’m also an engineer — but road construction is a different field. I’m his senior both in governance and in engineering. So, if there’s something he doesn’t understand, he should ask me instead of making it a public issue.”

He added, “I respect him a lot, but he should withdraw his statement that I was dancing around. I didn’t. And if he insists, I’m ready to have a public debate on the matter.”

Explaining further, Umahi said the project’s cost was not confusing, as it could be viewed in two ways — estimated cost and average cost.

“There’s nothing confusing about cost per kilometre,” he said. “The estimated cost includes allowances for things like contingencies and possible price changes. But when the project is finished and those extra funds are not used, the final cost becomes clear.”

The Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, stretching over 700 kilometres, is one of President Bola Tinubu’s infrastructure projects.

It aims to connect Lagos to several states in the South-South region. However, the project has faced intense public debate over its true cost, route, and speed of work.