Yar’Adua Promised N750 Billion Yearly for Coastal Highway and Niger Delta Projects

Seventeen years before the current administration, late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua pledged to spend N750 billion each year on a coastal highway and three other projects in the Niger Delta. This was revealed by Kingsley Kuku, the former chairman of the Amnesty Programme, during a recent interview.

Kuku stated that Yar’Adua made this commitment on June 25, 2009, when he offered amnesty to militants in the region. The coastal highway was one of four major projects aimed at developing the Niger Delta.

The Technical Committee on the Niger Delta, led by Ledum Mitee, had recommended the construction of a 700-kilometre Atlantic coastal road in 2008. Yar’Adua accepted this recommendation and promised to complete the East-West road, build the coastal highway from Calabar to Lagos, and establish new cities in the region.

Kuku emphasized that despite Yar’Adua’s commitment, no government took significant action until President Bola Tinubu announced plans for the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway. He noted that while the project was initially 700 kilometres long under Yar’Adua, it is now proposed to be 750 kilometres under Tinubu.

He also highlighted the importance of keeping the coastal highway separate from the East-West road, arguing that it should connect coastal communities directly. Kuku listed several riverine communities that the highway should serve, emphasizing their significance to Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

In response to concerns about the project’s cost, Kuku argued that the expense should not prevent the development of infrastructure for these communities. He stated that connecting these areas to essential services is crucial, regardless of the financial implications.