HURIWA seeks suspension of Lagos-Calabar road project | The Guardian Nigeria News

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) yesterday called on President Bola Tinubu to suspend the execution of the controversial Calabar-Lagos Coastal Highway until issues of opacity and lack of transparency in the awarding of the project, among others, are resolved.

The human rights group, through its national coordinator Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the government would tarnish its credibility if it continued to push through the hasty implementation of the controversial project, especially at a time when high cost of living threatens millions of citizens.

HURIWA said the speed with which Labor Minister Dave Umahi is defending this hastily packaged project as well as the attacks on critics of this project speaks volumes that a government has something to hide.

HURIWA also advocated for an urgent public televised debate on the road project between Tinubu, accompanied by Umahi, and key opposition leaders in Nigeria such as Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi.

HURIWA said the outcome of the televised debate will help improve public understanding of the fundamental issues surrounding the Calabar-Lagos coastal road.

The group called for clarification on the source of the funds and the nature of the so-called agreement between the government and the private sector in the financing agreements.