The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has backed the construction of a 700km coastal highway from Lagos to Calabar describing it as a critical infrastructure for national development.

President of MOSOP, Fegalo Nsuke made the observation today when he met with a group of Ogoni Students at the national secretariat of MOSOP in Bori, headquarters of Khana local government area..

Nsuke said the initiative will enhance communication, support the distribution chain and create jobs through increased economic activities engendered by the road network.

“I think the road is a good initiative and it will come with a lot of economic benefits. The multiplier effects will create jobs and boost trade,” Nsuke said.

He however called for the completion of the railway network nationwide to promote the economy and reduce the cost of consumables drawn from all parts of the country.

“It is also important that the government pays even greater emphasis on the railway system being a cheaper transportation means and effectively maintains the existing road network to reduce and possibly mitigate the bad-roads-induced losses,” he said.

While advocating such significant projects to enhance communication between all parts of the country, Nsuke called for national support for the project.

“We would like to see such a major road project linking Lagos to Kano, Maiduguri Sokoto and Enugu. Its impact on national unity and the economy will be profound.

“This project deserves the support of everyone and MOSOP will like to call for national support to ensure that it is successful,” the MOSOP president said.

The Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project spans a distance of 700km and is aimed to establish a vital connection between Lagos and Cross River.

The project will traverse the coastal states of Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom before reaching its final destination in Cross River.