Reps to Probe Procurement of Lagos/Calabar Coastal Highway, Umahi Under Scrutiny

The House of Representatives on Thursday, resolved to investigate the procurement and award process of the multi-billion Lagos to Calabar coastal highway.

In a resolution following a motion of urgent public importance by Hon. Austin Achado (APC, Benue), the House also asked the Ministry of Works to furnish the National Assembly with details of the procurement processes leading to the award of the contract.

There are a series of controversies surrounding the award of the contract to Hitech Construction for the over 700 kilometres of road whose construction is expected to be completed in five years.

READ ALSO: Minister of Works, David Umahi responds to Atiku over Lagos-Calabar Costal Road contract, says the contract followed due process

Achado informed the House that the procurement process did not follow due process, adding that funding for the project was also not approved by the National Assembly.

The PDP Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar had raised concerns on the award of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway being done in a hurry purely because of the business relationship between President Tinubu and Gilbert Chagoury, the owner of Hitech.

He said the contractor that was awarded the contract for the highway project in contravention of the procurement laws.

“It is on record that this project is the most expensive single project ever embarked upon by the Nigerian government. The fact that it is happening at a time Nigeria is facing its worst economic crisis ever is a red flag.”

He added: “To add insult to injury, this project that is being done in excess of $13bn was awarded without a competitive bidding. From all indications, the so-called Badagry-Sokoto highway would be awarded in a similar fashion at an enormous cost to taxpayers purely because Tinubu has put his personal interest ahead of the Nigerian people.