Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has launched a scathing critique of the Bola Tinubu administration, describing the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project as a “scam” and questioning the government’s delivery of impactful infrastructure to Nigerians.
Speaking during an appearance on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, broadcast on Channels Television on Friday, Lawal said the current administration has yet to implement any tangible project that positively affects the lives of ordinary Nigerians.
“If you ask me, ‘What projects has this government implemented so far that are visible to Nigerians and have impacted their lives?’ I cannot see any,” he said.
“At least in northern Nigeria, where I am a frequent traveller, I don’t see any road that they are constructing or rehabilitating. In the South-West, I don’t think there is any.”
Lawal also criticized the long-standing Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project, claiming it has become a recurring tool for political propaganda across different administrations.
“They are still talking about the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which it appears every government talks about and votes money for, and it never goes anywhere.”
He didn’t mince words when addressing the controversial Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, dismissing it entirely.
“Their so-called coastal road is just a scam. Every Nigerian knows it is a scam. Even before they started, we knew it would be a scam, and it has become a scam.”
President Bola Tinubu flagged off the first phase of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in May, a 30-kilometre stretch running from Ahmadu Bello Way to Eleko Village in Lekki, Lagos.
The project, which is projected to span over 700 kilometres, has stirred significant public debate and criticism over cost and execution.
Lawal, however, questioned the rationale behind commissioning a small portion of such a massive project, especially amid rising public debt.
“You borrow money from Europe, and before it comes, it is spent over there. So, I don’t understand. What can Nigerians see?” he asked.
“It has become such that the President can go and commission 30 kilometres of a 700km road — which has even become a source of controversy. So, what are they doing with our money?”
