By Adeola Badru
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has said the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and its accompanying rail system will improve students’ mobility, reduce travel time and ease access to tertiary institutions across the South-West and South-South regions.
The association said the Federal Government’s coastal highway project would strengthen connectivity between geopolitical zones, facilitate the movement of people and goods, and create economic opportunities across the country.
NANS President, Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, stated this after leading a delegation of the association on an inspection of the highway as part of its nationwide federal roads project tour.
Afeez, in a statement, described the project as a major infrastructure investment with far-reaching implications for transportation, commerce and national development.
“I must say that we are impressed by the sheer scale of this project. The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is not an ordinary road construction project.
“The massive bridges, the scale of the construction and the foresight behind the project reflect the Federal Government’s remarkable investment in infrastructural development,” he said.
He said the highway’s benefits would extend beyond road transportation, noting that its completion was expected to improve connectivity, ease the movement of people and goods, and strengthen commercial activities across geopolitical zones.
“Beyond the impressive outlook, the economic value of this highway cannot be overemphasised. Upon completion, it is expected to improve connectivity, ease the movement of people and goods, open up economic opportunities and strengthen commercial activities across geopolitical zones.
“The most impressive part of it is the rail system that comes with the road,” Afeez said.
The NANS president said students were among those expected to benefit from improved transportation infrastructure, particularly those who travel long distances to pursue their studies in institutions across the country.
“As the apex body representing Nigerian students, our interest in this project goes beyond the quality of the construction.
“We are particularly concerned about how the infrastructure of this magnitude will improve the welfare and mobility of our students.
“Many Nigerian students travel from different parts of the country to pursue their academic programmes in institutions across the South-South and South-West,” he said.
According to him, improved connectivity between the two regions would reduce the time students spend travelling to their campuses, make journeys less stressful and improve access to educational institutions.
“This is equally important, as students will not have to travel for hours before connecting to their campuses in either the South-West or the South-South,” he added.
Afeez commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for its infrastructure development agenda and acknowledged the role of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, in driving the coastal highway project.
“We therefore commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the commitment of his administration to major infrastructure development, as well as the Honourable Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, CON, for the drive and foresight behind this unprecedented landmark project,” he said.
He described quality infrastructure as a critical driver of national development, adding that students stood to benefit from investments that improve mobility and access to educational opportunities.
“Quality infrastructure is essential to national development, of which Nigerian students are major beneficiaries,” Afeez said.
He said NANS would continue its nationwide federal roads project tour to assess roads leading to tertiary institutions and provide independent observations and recommendations where necessary.
“As we continue our Nationwide Federal Roads Project Tour, we remain committed to assessing federal roads leading to our campuses and offering our unbiased commendations and recommendations where necessary,” he said.
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