Donald Duke Says Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Is Misplaced Priority

The Presidential Candidate of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke, has criticised the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, describing it as a misplaced priority.

He argued that Nigeria cannot afford the multi-billion-naira infrastructure project amid pressing challenges in electricity, healthcare and education.

Duke, who spoke during an interview on Arise News, described the project as a misplaced priority, insisting that government resources should be directed towards sectors that have a direct impact on the lives of Nigerians.

The former governor questioned the economic and engineering feasibility of constructing a 750-kilometre highway along Nigeria’s coastline, particularly through swampy terrains in the Niger Delta region.

“I’ll bring this up. Take the Lagos-Calabar highway. I know the country cannot afford it,” Duke said.

“You cannot build a road on the coast from Lagos to Calabar. I mean, you can’t even go through Bayelsa. Bayelsa is swamp. Even Yenagoa, the capital, is swamp. You’ll probably have to build about 100 or 200 bridges to go through those swamps.”

Duke argued that the country already has a road network linking Lagos and Calabar, and that the government should focus on rehabilitating existing infrastructure rather than embarking on a new coastal route.

“There is already a road to Calabar. I’ve driven from Lagos to Calabar several times. If the road is poor, fix it,” he said.

The former governor also expressed doubts about the completion of the project beyond Epe in Lagos State, alleging that some activities around the project appeared to suggest land reclamation was receiving more attention than road construction.

“I don’t think that road is going to go beyond Epe, and I think the road serves other purposes because I drove once on the road and all I saw on the right flank going towards Epe was land reclamation and all that,” he said.

Duke maintained that the funds committed to the coastal highway could be better deployed to address Nigeria’s infrastructure and social development challenges.

“The amount going to be spent on that road could be better spent providing electricity or upgrading your healthcare system,” he said.

He criticised what he described as inadequate investment in the health sector, citing the low level of government funding allocated to healthcare.

“Last year, the capital budget that was released for health was barely N36 million. This came from the minister himself. That’s pathetic for a country of 230 million people,” Duke said.

He also raised concerns over the state of Nigeria’s education system, urging the government to reassess its priorities and improve revenue generation.

“Not to talk about the schooling system that is hardly funded. So you prioritise, focus on your priorities, recalibrate your revenue system,” he said.

According to Duke, Nigeria’s abundant energy resources could serve as a catalyst for economic growth if properly harnessed.

“We are blessed with all the known forms of energy, from hydro to solar to gas to petroleum,” he said.

“I’m not saying give it free of charge, no, but make it available and very affordable because that is going to be a major stimulus for the productivity of your people.”

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is one of the flagship infrastructure projects of the President Bola Tinubu administration. The Federal Government has described the project as a strategic economic corridor expected to boost connectivity, trade, tourism and regional development.

However, the project has continued to attract criticism from opposition figures, civil society organisations, economists and environmental advocates over concerns about cost, transparency, environmental impact and whether it should be prioritised amid Nigeria’s economic difficulties.