The Independent Media and Policy Initiative (IMPI) says there are enough proof to support the Federal government’s choice of HiTECH to handle the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
Niyi Akinsiju, Chairman of IMPI, stated this in a statement on Wednesday.
In the statement personally signed by Akinsiju, he said the think thank’ s group study of the situation showed that all the claims by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who sparked the controversy were off the mark and targeted at discrediting the project
It added that aside from successfully handling the Bar Beach Shoreline protection project, Hitech also has a history of constructing coastal highways with reinforced concrete outside of Nigeria.
IMPI said after making discreet and open enquiries on the company’s credentials and contract portfolios, it concluded that “it may pass as the only Nigerian company able to construct the coastal road.”
The policy group also insisted that a cost analysis of road projects similar to the Lagos-Calabar highway in some parts of the world showed that the costing of the the project was appropriate.
Meanwhile IMPI noted that at the time the former Vice President created a controversy over the Lagos-Calabar highway, a criminal court in Panama had opened the trial of the first batch of 27 individuals accused of money laundering related to the global “Panama Papers” revelations.
It added that international media reports indicate that investigations are ongoing on the next batch of individuals listed in the Panama Papers which may include the two-time presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who is number 68 on the list of exposed former top government officials using Shell companies.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
