By Blessing Wikina
Again, this road is generating excitement. Not because of its size or concept. But because of the sophistry of the road .
Years ago, there was some teaspoon of controversy on it, when the former Transport Minister, CHIBUIKE Amaechi had a rowdy session with Senators on the proposed Coastal Railway line from Lagos to Calabar. It was a Railline.
To satisfy the past President, GEJ, the Railroad was designed to take a detour through Otueke-Ogbia, as it snakes it’s way around the Coast.
Fast-forward to 2025, and handlers of BAT are now parading a mere 30km of a proposed 670km road it sees as it’s Star Project.
In the last two years, 30km completed, making it 15km per year, in a renewed packaged agenda.
While we clap hands, sing and dance over this huge achievements of the administration, we also plead with the Governments media handlers to be cautious with the statistics.
At this rate of 15km per year, the Coastal Road may take about 45years to complete.
Note that the completed and commissioned segment of the road is the easiest to complete
Down the stretch from the Eastern flanks of the road, via Calabar winding down towards Uyo to Bonny-Brass-Delta-Edo up, the journey is tougher
Bridges would fly over Cross River, Imo River, Bonny River, San Bartholomew, Santa Barbara, New Calabar River Orashi River, River Nun, River Niger, Ethiope etc as the Road is expected to sweep through the coastline.
Along the Coastline, the Roads beauty would be the added scenery of Tourism, Education, and the knowledge of seeing how Communities in the Niger Delta are packaged
Besides the communities, travellers will see how Oil rigs, Oil platforms, Oil Locations emerge out of the mangrove swamps, and rise out of deep rain forests, and untouched vegetation, with meandering pipelines of crude oil and gas lines.
The Coastal Road may not make meaning, if peace meal commissioning of 30 km segments is being celebrated.
If the multiple Bridges needed for the road, are being fabricated and shown, it would breed more confidence, assurance, and purpose, than this style that affects goodwill.
The Coastal Road, may after all, provide an easier, and cheaper access to safeguard and protect “Nigeria’s key economic infrastructure” if completed in good time.
The Govt may not need foot soldiers to beat drums and chorus Renewed Hope….we will all be the Choir
