Peter Ameh, former National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), has slammed the Federal Government’s plan to spend N712 billion on renovating the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, calling it a “white elephant project” and a “misplaced priority” amid Nigeria’s escalating debt crisis and economic hardship.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) echoed Ameh’s criticism, labeling the expenditure “wasteful and reckless” in a time of widespread suffering.
Nigeria’s public debt has soared to over N121 trillion by mid-2025, with 96% of 2024 revenue consumed by debt servicing, leaving scant resources for critical sectors like healthcare, education, and agriculture.
Ameh highlighted the dire state of public hospitals, which lack essential drugs and staff, and criticized lavish spending on projects like the N15 trillion Lagos-Calabar coastal highway and N39 billion National Conference Centre, which remains underutilized.
“It’s an insult to Nigerians’ intelligence,” Ameh said. “We’re sinking in debt, yet we prioritize vanity projects over agriculture and industry that could drive economic growth.”
The ADC, in a statement by National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, questioned the project’s legality and transparency, noting that MMIA’s new international terminal was commissioned in March 2022.
“Spending N712 billion on an airport recently upgraded defies fiscal sense when universities and hospitals are crumbling,” the ADC stated, demanding proof of National Assembly approval and a detailed cost breakdown.
Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo defended the project, asserting that the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) thoroughly vetted and approved the N712 billion cost.
“The BPP did an excellent job ensuring value for money,” Keyamo said.
“We, therefore, demand the immediate suspension of this project, a full independent audit of the proposed spending, and a redirection of the funds to sectors that directly benefit the Nigerian people,” the party said.
It warned that continued fiscal irresponsibility in the face of widespread hunger, economic hardship, and insecurity could further erode public trust in government and deepen national discontent.
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