The Federal Government has appealed to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to suspend its planned nationwide strike, citing potential harm to Nigeria’s recovering economy.
Speaking on behalf of the government, Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, called on the union to allow “wisdom to prevail” and prioritize national interest in resolving its ongoing dispute with the Dangote Group.
The Minister’s appeal was made during an inspection tour of Sections One and Two of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project in Lagos State.
The visit, which took place on September 29, included notable figures such as Segun Sowunmi, spokesperson for the 2019 Atiku presidential campaign, Adeyemi Adebomehin, Surveyor-General of the Federation, Engr. Musa Saidu, Director of Highway Bridges and Design and Engr. Kesha, Federal Controller of Works, as well as Civil society representatives.
According to Umahi’s media adviser, Orji Uchenna Orji, the inspection aimed to assess the quality and pace of work by Hitech Construction Company Ltd, the project contractor.
“We came with key voices across political lines to independently evaluate the progress and determine whether this is a worthwhile investment for Nigeria’s future,” Umahi said.
The Minister commended Hitech for what he described as “exceptional performance” and noted the company’s plan to build Nigeria’s largest flyovers to ease traffic at connecting points of the highway.
Umahi also dismissed negative reports from content creators who claimed unprotected shoulders on the project site indicated failure. He called such claims either mischievous or uninformed.
On a separate matter, the Minister responded to allegations by Stella Okengwu of Winhome, who claimed to have lost land worth ₦50 million to the highway project.
Umahi challenged her to present verifiable evidence of ownership, approval for development, or any real investment beyond a “rickety gate.”
He accused the self-styled investor of misleading diaspora contributors and urged anti-corruption agencies to investigate her claims of having raised $250 million for the project.
During the inspection, Segun Sowunmi praised the highway as a visionary legacy project by President Bola Tinubu, calling it a “masterpiece” capable of transforming Nigeria’s economic future.
He encouraged Nigerians, regardless of political affiliation, to support national development efforts.
“At 65, Nigeria must fast-track its infrastructural growth to compete globally,” Sowunmi said.
Officials from Hitech, including Managing Director Dany Abboud, and federal engineers also addressed technical details of the project, reaffirming its scope and long-term value.
