The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has explained that the redesign of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway’s original route, which initially included Water Corporation Road but now incorporates the coastal path affecting establishments like Landmark Beach Resort, is necessary to avoid demolishing the extensive infrastructure developed by original planners.
Umahi disclosed this during his appearance on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Thursday.
He said President Bola Tinubu, during his tenure as Lagos State governor, had envisioned the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, leading to the initial design that included Water Corporation Road. However, since then, the area has become developed with high-rise buildings and other infrastructures.
Umahi pointed out that this development led to the necessity of rerouting the highway along the coast to prevent the destruction of existing structures, ensuring the preservation of valuable infrastructure for the coastal highway project.
- “The first and foremost is the right of way.
- “The Federal Government has a irrevocable right of way.
- “It was Mr President that started the idea of the coastal road when he was governor of Lagos State.“And then he had the right of way.
- “But you know the character of some of our people.
- “Along that right of way has been totally built up.
- “We have high-rise and all kinds of stuff.
- “People just think that the coastal road is just a standard gauge of 7.3 metres.
- No, it is a 100 metres corridor. So, we looked at the number of infrastructures we need to destroy along that gazetted right of way.
- “We felt that it was not just about compensation. We have the feelings of our people.
- “So, we had to do some economic indices.We analysed and we felt that, one, we have to be within the coast.
- Two, we are going to save a lot of infrastructures.
- “And that is what we’ve done.
- “We had to redesign to be along the coast,” Umahi explained.
The Minister of Works further emphasized that, in large-scale infrastructure projects like the coastal road, national interests take precedence over individual concerns. He stressed the importance of prioritizing the broader benefits and needs of the country in the planning and execution of such significant developments.
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Umahi addressed concerns about the short notice given to Landmark Beach Resort and other businesses for relocation due to the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. He clarified that the notice period was not limited to just seven days. iHe said the affected property owners had been aware of the road’s new alignment for about seven months.
Umahi emphasized that there had been ongoing discussions with the businesses, indicating that they had ample time to prepare for evacuation.
- “It is not just seven days.
- “We have been on that for the past seven months and we have been talking to them.
- “They knew that was the alignment and they knew they ought to have evacuated,” he said.
On the progress of the highway construction, Umahi noted that work had commenced and special accommodation was made for the area surrounding Landmark Beach Resort.
He disclosed that the construction sequence was adjusted to give these establishments additional time to vacate the premises.
Minister Umahi further revealed that he paid a visit to Landmark Beach Resort. There, he conversed with the Managing Director to identify compensatory measures for the disruptions caused by the construction. A key solution proposed was the construction of artificial pools at Landmark Beach Resort, aimed at mitigating the loss of direct beach access due to the new highway alignment.