By Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
The publisher of The Common Good Letter and Executive Director of the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Rev. David Ugolor, has called on the Federal Government to prioritise the reconstruction of the East-West Road and provide clear, consistent information about its relationship with the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
Speaking during an interview on TVC’s Breakfast Show, Ugolor reiterated the position of The Common Good Letter campaign that addressing the deteriorating condition of the East-West Road remains an urgent priority for communities in the Niger Delta.
He welcomed the government’s stated commitment to the road and urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make its comprehensive reconstruction a legacy project that would deliver lasting benefits to the region.
“We welcome the decision of the Federal Government to prioritise the East-West Road. We call on him to make it a legacy project, but he should not allow misinformation to erode public trust,” Ugolor said.
However, Ugolor expressed concern over conflicting public statements about the project’s alignment and scope, stressing that effective communication and transparency were essential to maintaining public trust.
He noted that citizens were being confronted with incomplete and potentially confusing information about whether the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway was being realigned to incorporate the East-West Road or whether the two were separate projects.
According to him, such ambiguity could undermine public confidence and should be urgently addressed through authoritative disclosures.
He called for the publication of approved routes, contract costs, funding sources, details of contractors, implementation timelines, and relevant engineering, environmental and social impact assessments.
He maintained that Nigerians should have access to information on public expenditure without having to wait for subsequent audit reports.
Given that existing road contracts are being implemented by different government agencies, Ugolor also urged the Federal Government to clarify how the proposed interventions would be coordinated to prevent overlapping contracts and duplicate funding.
He warned that several sections of the East-West Road were already covered by existing contracts, emergency interventions or projects undertaken by various public institutions. He cautioned that, without a clear framework, there was a risk of duplicate payments and uncertainty over responsibility for the work.
Ugolor’s central message was clear: the Niger Delta needs a properly reconstructed East-West Road, backed by credible technical evidence, transparent funding and accountable implementation.
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