*Says no new projects for 2025, lawsuits hobbling Lagos-Calabar coastal road Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Minister of Works, David Umahi, yesterday rendered an account of his stewardship at the ministry, stressing that there was a funding gap of about N16 trillion for over 4,000 road projects scattered all over the country. Speaking during a briefing in Abuja to usher in his first one year in office, the minister said that he would not propose any new projects for the 2025 fiscal year, explaining that the plan was to complete all existing contracts nationwide. He said: “We will not propose new projects for the 2025 fiscal year unless otherwise dictated by Mr President.
I’m going to tell the Ministry of Finance to provide funds for us to complete ongoing projects. “Right now, we have over 4,000 ongoing projects and a funding gap of N16 trillion, most of them were inherited by this administration. Some of these projects were awarded when the naira was exchanged for N150 to $1USD.
” Besides, Umahi stressed that there are currently over six court cases against the Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway, but assured that the federal government remained resolute on completion of the multi-trillion naira project. Disclosing that the federal government had been paying compensation to affected owners of structures along the Right of Way (RoW), the minister alleged that a lot of those making claims wanted to rip off the Nigerian government. “That is the beauty of democracy, and under th.