The Young Advocates for Good Governance (YAGG) in Ondo State has criticised President Bola Tinubu over comments reportedly discouraging governors from constructing flyovers, urging him to focus instead on addressing more pressing national challenges.
In a statement released on Friday, the group also called on the President to reconsider the 700-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, describing the multi-trillion-naira project as a misplaced priority given the poor condition of many existing federal roads across the country.
According to YAGG, presidential aides should advise Tinubu to reassess what it described as “wasteful spending” on the coastal highway rather than criticising state governments for embarking on infrastructure projects.
“Rather than advising state governors to stop building flyovers, which the President reportedly described as a waste of public funds, he should first look inward and reassess some of his own policies,” the group said.
The organisation alleged that some actions of the Federal Government were driven more by political interests than national development, claiming that valuable public resources were being diverted away from projects that directly benefit Nigerians.
YAGG also accused the government of spending large sums of money on political activities instead of addressing the country’s infrastructure needs.
The group, however, praised Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for commencing the construction of the 2.3-kilometre Oba-Adesida Flyover in Akure, expressing confidence that the project would ease traffic congestion, create jobs and stimulate economic growth in the state.
It questioned why the same standard applied to state flyover projects was not being used to assess the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
“We are aware that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road is not primarily about economic importance but more about personal interest,” the group alleged.
YAGG argued that the Federal Government could rehabilitate thousands of kilometres of existing highways with a fraction of the estimated ₦15 trillion earmarked for the coastal road project.
The group also questioned the contract award process, alleging that the project was awarded without competitive bidding, while expressing concern that the initiative was being pursued despite the deteriorating condition of major federal highways across Nigeria.
It urged the Federal Government to prioritise the rehabilitation of existing roads that serve millions of Nigerians daily, insisting that public funds should be spent on projects with direct and measurable benefits to citizens.
