Speaking in a viral video on Friday, Makinde faulted Umahi for what he described as “dancing around the cost” of the project when asked to provide details.
The governor’s comment comes days after a heated on-air exchange between Umahi and Arise TV presenter, Rufai Oseni, who had pressed the minister to provide a kilometre-by-kilometre cost breakdown of the project.
Umahi, visibly irritated, dismissed the request as “elementary,” claiming the costs varied by section and were too technical for a journalist to understand. “Keep quiet and stop saying what you don’t know. I’m a professor in this field,” he said during the interview.
Defending Oseni, Makinde said the public deserved transparency.
“They asked a minister how much the coastal road costs, and you’re saying the next kilometre is different. Then what is the average cost?” Makinde asked.
Citing his own projects, Makinde explained, “When we did the Oyo–Iseyin road, it cost about ₦10 billion for 35 kilometres—about ₦238 million per kilometre. For Iseyin–Ogbomoso, 76 kilometres cost ₦43 billion, about ₦500 million per kilometre, and that included two bridges.”
The Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, which spans nine states and includes two spurs leading to the north, began construction last year. The first phase, a 47.47km dual carriageway, was handed to Hitech Construction Company Limited for execution using concrete pavement.
Umahi has repeatedly stated that contractors are expected to deliver on time and within cost, stressing that delays will not justify additional variations once mobilisation has been paid.
