By Our Correspondent

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the Federal Government’s decision to realign part of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway with the existing East-West Road, describing the development as a disturbing indictment of the government’s infrastructure planning and accountability.

HURIWA said Works Minister David Umahi’s explanation that the realignment was necessary to address flooding and climate change had raised fundamental questions about the quality of the feasibility studies, engineering assessments and environmental evaluations conducted before the project was launched.

The association described the development as a potential national embarrassment, questioning why climate risks that should have been central to the original design were now being presented as a major justification for changing the route.

“How does a government embark on a multibillion-naira coastal highway project without adequately resolving fundamental questions about flooding, environmental risks and the most suitable route? Who approved the original plans, and who will take responsibility if avoidable errors are established?” HURIWA asked.

The association said Nigerians must not be expected to celebrate every change in project direction as a presidential achievement without first examining the reasons for the change, its financial implications and the consequences for the original project design.

HURIWA said Umahi’s disclosure that sections of the existing East-West Road would need to be raised by about two metres to address flooding exposed serious questions about whether the project’s environmental realities were adequately considered from the outset.

The minister had explained that President Bola Tinubu approved the use of the existing East-West Road for the stretch running from the Ondo State boundary into Edo State, rather than continuing with a new coastal alignment along that section.

Umahi also put the distance across the affected corridor at approximately 104 kilometres, including a proposed 45-kilometre bypass.

For HURIWA, the critical issue is not whether an existing road can be upgraded or a bypass constructed. It is whether the government conducted the necessary technical assessments before committing public resources to the original alignment.

“This is not a minor adjustment to a village access road. We are talking about one of the Federal Government’s flagship infrastructure projects. Nigerians deserve to know whether this change is the product of responsible engineering review or evidence of serious weaknesses in the original planning process,” the association said.

HURIWA warned that the government must not use climate change as a convenient explanation to avoid scrutiny of decisions taken before construction began.

While acknowledging that new technical information can legitimately require adjustments to major infrastructure projects, the association insisted that the government must demonstrate, with verifiable evidence, why the change became necessary and whether the risks could reasonably have been anticipated.

The association demanded that the Ministry of Works publish relevant feasibility studies, environmental impact assessments, engineering reports and documents explaining the revised alignment, subject to applicable legal and commercial restrictions.

It also called for disclosure of the financial implications of the change, including whether the realignment would increase or reduce project costs, affect contractual commitments or delay completion.

HURIWA urged the National Assembly to summon Umahi and relevant project officials to explain the circumstances surrounding the decision and establish whether due diligence was observed at every stage.

The association further demanded an independent technical and financial review to determine whether the original alignment was adequately assessed and whether public funds could be exposed to avoidable additional expenditure.

“If this government is serious about accountability, it cannot turn every presidential decision into a public relations victory while leaving taxpayers in the dark about the engineering and financial realities behind it,” HURIWA said.

The association added that any finding of negligence, professional misconduct or avoidable waste should attract appropriate sanctions, including disciplinary action against responsible officials and the removal of the minister where the evidence and applicable procedures justify such a measure.

HURIWA said the controversy also raised broader concerns about the tendency to announce ambitious infrastructure projects before Nigerians receive sufficient information about their technical foundations, financing arrangements, implementation risks and long-term sustainability.

It stressed that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway must not become a project in which political visibility takes precedence over engineering discipline, environmental responsibility and value for public money.

“Nigeria is not a private estate, and public infrastructure is not a favour dispensed by political officeholders. Every major project must be properly conceived, transparently executed and open to scrutiny. If the original planning was deficient, Nigerians deserve the truth, not political applause for correcting a problem that should never have arisen,” the association said.

HURIWA maintained that the Federal Government owes Nigerians a detailed explanation of the realignment and must establish whether it represents a sound engineering decision, a necessary response to new information or a correction of shortcomings in the original project planning.

The association said accountability must follow the evidence, insisting that neither the President nor the Minister of Works should be shielded from legitimate public scrutiny over a project involving substantial public resources.

By David Owei

The government of Lesotho and Bayelsa State have held talks on areas of economic cooperation, including agriculture, oil and gas, tourism, cold water development and textile warehousing.

The bilateral meeting between the country’s Prime Minister, The Rt. Honourable Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane, and Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, took place on Sunday at the State House in Maseru, the capital city.

Governor Diri, who recalled an earlier meeting with Matekane in Abuja, Nigeria, said Bayelsa was interested in exploring areas of economic benefits, particularly where it had comparative advantages.

He said the state was rich in crude oil and very large gas deposits, in addition to having the longest coastline in the country that places it at a strategic position in the Gulf of Guinea.

Lesotho is one of the world’s smallest, landlocked nations located in Southern Africa and it is rich in diamond and a leader in cold water production and export as well as in textile production.

Governor Diri said: “I think this meeting was divinely orchestrated. The meeting in Abuja had so many other presidents and leaders, but at the end of the day, we were attracted to Lesotho, and Lesotho was equally attracted to us.

“Bayelsa was the first place in Nigeria where oil and gas was found in commercial quantities in 1956 by the British during colonial rule. So, Nigeria became an oil-producing country because of Bayelsa.

“My state is in the southern part of Nigeria, in the coastal area, and it is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Guinea. We seek collaboration and partnership in oil and gas, on how to harness the vast resources in our coastal and maritime environment as well as in terms of tourism.”

Governor Diri also stated that Bayelsa was looking at exporting industrial starch from its cassava processing factory.

“Our cassava starch extraction factory is now functional and it was aimed for international exports. The local demand in Nigeria is so high. But our target is export.

“Rice production is another commodity that has possibility for collaboration. Bayelsa is a massive wetland and the entire state is a rice belt.“

On inter-African trade, Diri noted that countries on the continent do business more with those outside the region and that it was time for this to change.

“I think there is a very big opening that is going to be mutually beneficial to both Lesotho and Nigeria, particularly Bayelsa State, from what has come on the table here. I agree with you no less that inter-country trade has been more with countries outside of Africa.

“But if African countries have this kind of meetings, we can begin to change the direction as the possibilities are there. We have not been able to explore them.”

He said his administration was winding down and that both teams have to act fast to make the partnership a reality.

Also, the Director-General of the Bayelsa Investment Promotion Agency (BIPA), Patience Abah, in a presentation, said Bayelsa was following the general framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Abah stated the importance of the meeting and that agreements reached were just words on paper except the participating states take steps to actualise them.

“So, that is the spirit with which we are approaching this. His Excellency has spoken about our oil and gas potential. But beyond that, Bayelsa wishes to leverage also its coastal assets.

“We have two claims to fame that no other state in Nigeria can make. We have the longest coastline in the country of at least 203 kilometers. The other is we have proven gas reserves exceeding 18 trillion cubic feet. These are assets with which we can explore collaboration.

“We know Lesotho specialises and is a world leader in cold water production. But our ecosystem is different, with more of swampy terrain and fresh water. So, we can partner on resources like catfish, tilapia, shrimps, fish processing, and cold chain logistics networks to span not only the Southern African region but all the way down to West Africa as well.

“Using your expertise and terrain advantage, we can also partner on hydro energy as well as renewable and clean energy. Beyond that, we are also looking at your world-class garment manufacturing factory for export. Bayelsa can act as a strategic West African assembly point for warehousing and distribution of your finished textiles in the region and beyond.”

The Lesotho Prime Minister, Ntsokoane Matekane, in his remarks, said the country was interested in any economic relationship and investment that was mutually beneficial.

Ntsokoane, who was a reputable businessman and the country’s richest man before winning election in 2022, said African countries must first derive the benefits from their natural resources rather than relying on the imported finished products from them.

He said: “Africa has been home to a number of minerals and natural resources, but we always export everything we have. They get value outside and come back more expensive for us.

“Now, when you look at the trade between Lesotho and China or US and compare it with between Lesotho and Nigeria, it is a totally different story. So, it is very important for us to start these engagements to ensure that there is intra-trade between African countries.”

Ntsokoane stated that Lesotho was targeting 100 per cent renewable energy and export it to the Southern African region.

“We generate power using hydro because our terrain is a masterpiece. We experience eight to 12 times of snowfall in Lesotho, which is the highest source of water in the Southern African region. And, of course, the mountains and gorges are a huge potential for our hydropower. So, in partnership with Bayelsa State and other African countries, we can build a very strong base load in the mountain Kingdom of Lesotho.”

He also spoke about the possibility of setting up data centres for digitised businesses, taking advantage of Lesotho’s cool temperatures and abundant water supply from the mountains.

He further stated that the country depends on Nigeria’s expertise in the oil industry and that Bayelsa will be a strategic partner in that sector because of its history and experience in oil exploration activities.

After the meeting, the Bayelsa governor participated in the Diamond Independence Jubilee celebrations of the country at the National Stadium in Maseru.

The King of Eswatini and his wife and representatives of the government of Botswana, Zambia as well as heads of diplomatic missions and international organisations joined the King of Lesotho, David Mohato Seeiso, Letsie III, at the colourful ceremony.

By George Mgbeleke

The Senate on Tuesday passed a bill extending the implementation of the capital component of the 2025 appropriation act from September. 30 to December. 31, 2026.

The bill, according to the Senate, seeks to provide additional time for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to complete all ongoing capital projects.

The bill, sponsored by the Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele( Ekiti central), was read for the first time and subsequently considered for second reading after the suspension of the relevant senate rule.

Leading debate on the bill, Bamidele said the extension would provide the legal and administrative window required to fully implement projects for which funds had been appropriated and released.

He said capital budget implementation involved procurement, contract execution, mobilisation, certification of works and payment processes, among other procedures.

The Senate Leader said several infrastructure and development projects across the country were at various stages of completion and required additional time for implementation.

He said allowing the existing implementation deadline to lapse could create difficulties for MDAs in completing projects for which resources had already been appropriated and released.

He added that the extension would help prevent projects from becoming abandoned and ensure that appropriated resources were deployed for their approved purposes.

The Senate Leader stressed that the extension would not amount to a relaxation of accountability, fiscal responsibility or legislative oversight.

He said MDAs would remain required to comply with the Appropriation Act, financial regulations, procurement laws and other applicable statutes.

Contributing, the Deputy Senate President, Sen. Barau Jibrin, said the extension was important to prevent the proliferation of abandoned projects across the country.

He urged senators to support the bill, saying it would provide an opportunity for ongoing projects funded under the 2025 appropriation to be completed.

The Minority Leader, Abba Moro (Benue South) also supported the extension but urged senators to avoid unnecessary comparisons with previous administrations during debates on budget implementation.

Moro said the focus should remain on creating the necessary conditions for the government to implement its programmes and projects.

The bill was subsequently committed to the Committee of Supply, which considered and approved amendments to the relevant provisions.

The Senate thereafter passed the bill at third reading, extending the implementation of the capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act to December 31, 2026.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, thanked senators for their contributions, saying the extension would facilitate payment for contracts and completion of projects covered by the 2025 capital appropriation.

He urged relevant authorities to utilise the extended period to complete necessary contractual obligations and infrastructure projects for the benefit of Nigerians.