Elder statesman and Convener of the South-South Reawakening Group, Joseph Ambakederimo, has urged the Federal Government to dedicate 50,000 barrels of crude oil daily to finance the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, insisting that the project must follow its original route through the South-South region.
Ambakederimo made the proposal during an interview with ARISE News on Sunday, amid concerns over plans to realign parts of the coastal highway with the existing East-West Road.
He argued that Nigeria had sufficient natural resources to fund the project without altering its original design, insisting that crude oil revenue could provide the necessary financing.
“Who said we don’t have the money? Nigeria has the money. Allocate 50,000 barrels of crude oil every day. And pay. And get it done,” he said.
The elder statesman maintained that the highway should extend to Calabar in Cross River State and pass through all states in the South-South geopolitical zone.
He rejected any proposal to divert the route or merge it with the East-West Road, arguing that both highways should be constructed as separate routes to improve connectivity across the region.
“I said, no, Mr Minister, we want to see the coastal road side-by-side the East-West Road. We want to see that happen. Not to do any alignment,” he said.
Ambakederimo questioned why the government was reconsidering the highway’s route after the project had remained on the drawing board for many years.
He argued that the government should focus on delivering the project according to its original design rather than revisiting plans that could affect the region’s infrastructure development.
To support his proposal for crude oil-backed financing, he cited the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos as an example of a major infrastructure project he said had been financed partly with crude oil.
He also dismissed concerns about the South-South region’s difficult terrain, insisting that modern engineering technology could overcome construction challenges.
According to him, feasibility studies should guide the project, while engineers, architects and other professionals from the region should be consulted to develop solutions that would allow the highway to proceed as planned.
Ambakederimo said the South-South Reawakening Group would continue engaging the Federal Government and other stakeholders to ensure that the project was completed according to its original design.
Beyond the coastal highway, he called for increased crude oil production, arguing that Nigeria needed to raise output to at least five million barrels per day to finance development and meet the needs of its growing population.
He also expressed concern over developments in Ogoniland, claiming that President Bola Tinubu was not receiving adequate information about the situation in the area.
Ambakederimo said the alleged information gap could affect the President’s ability to make informed decisions on the region and determine the appropriate way forward.
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