Former National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Peter Ameh, has described the recent commissioning of a 30-kilometer stretch of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road as an extravagant display of misplaced priorities and poor planning.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, Ameh questioned the rationale behind organizing a high-profile event to celebrate the completion of just 4.3% of the proposed 700-kilometer highway.

The ceremony, attended by President Bola Tinubu and several governors, has drawn public attention due to the large entourage and significant costs reportedly incurred for logistics and accommodation.

Ameh said the event appeared more like a publicity stunt than a genuine milestone in national infrastructure development.

“What exactly are we celebrating?” he asked. “Is it the completion of a tiny segment of a massive project, or is it an attempt to create the illusion of progress?”

He criticized the government’s approach to the project, highlighting that serious challenges—such as swampy terrain in Ondo State and the absence of a proper Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)—were only discovered after work had already started.

He cited comments by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, who revealed in a recent interview that key geographical and environmental obstacles had not been properly assessed before construction began.

Ameh warned that the project could be derailed if it continues without transparency, proper surveys, or clear legislative backing.

He noted that there has been no official disclosure of the total cost of the project or evidence of a National Assembly appropriation, raising concerns over potential misuse of public funds.

“At the current pace of construction, with only 30 kilometres completed in two years, it could take up to 24 years to finish the road,” he said. “That is assuming work continues uninterrupted, which history tells us is unlikely.”

He urged the federal government to prioritize due process, feasibility studies, and long-term planning to ensure the project does not become another abandoned initiative.

“The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road has great potential, but it must be built on a foundation of transparency, not political theatre,” he added.

Ameh called for better accountability in infrastructure development, saying Nigerians deserve results, not ceremonies.