Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has criticised Minister of Works, David Umahi, over his handling of questions regarding the cost breakdown of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway project.
Speaking in a viral video on Friday, Makinde said Umahi should not “dance around the cost” when asked for details about the multi-trillion-naira project approved by President Bola Tinubu.
The governor’s comments followed a televised confrontation between Umahi and Arise TV presenter, Rufai Oseni, who had requested the minister to provide a kilometre-by-kilometre analysis of the highway’s cost.
Umahi dismissed the question, calling it “elementary,” and argued that construction costs varied across sections of the road. He said journalists lacked the technical understanding to question engineering details, insisting payments were tied to verified work done.
In reaction, Makinde defended Oseni’s query as legitimate, saying transparency demands clear cost explanations. “They asked a minister how much the coastal road costs, and then you’re saying the next kilometre is different from the next. Then what is the average cost?” he asked.
Citing examples from his own administration, Makinde said the Oyo–Iseyin Road cost about ₦9.99 billion for 34 kilometres — roughly ₦238 million per kilometre — while the 76-kilometre Iseyin–Ogbomoso Road cost ₦43 billion, averaging ₦500 million per kilometre, including two major bridges.
The Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, spanning over 700 kilometres across nine states, is being handled by Hitech Construction Company Limited. The first phase covers 47.47 kilometres of dual carriageway built with concrete pavement.
Umahi has maintained that contractors must deliver projects on schedule, warning against delays or cost variations after mobilisation.
