The Federal Government has reassured residents of the Okun-Ajah community in Lagos that their properties will not be demolished for the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.
During a meeting with representatives of communities along the road alignment between Eko Atlantic (Chainage Zero) and Eleko (Chainage 47.4 km) on Thursday in Lagos, the Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, dismissed their fears.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the meeting also addressed compensation payments and environmental concerns related to the project.
The minister stated that construction in the area would adhere to the original gazetted route established by the federal government.
Umahi said, “Ladies and gentlemen, we have our proposal here and we have the old alignment; to the glory of God, to solve MTN, 2Africa, and Okun-Ajah community, we are diverting completely from the new alignment, from the old alignment to a new alignment at kilometer 25.”
The minister emphasized that the decision to avoid demolitions was not influenced by pressure or conflict from the communities.
He explained that the president’s intervention aimed to minimize the negative impact on residents.
He assured the community of the president’s firm stance, stating that the government will not change the route for Section One. However, residents are still encouraged to voice concerns about the project’s impact on their properties within the chosen path.
Umahi highlighted that the government is open to addressing concerns outside Section One, where adjustments might be possible.
Additionally, he invited all stakeholders to join him in welcoming President Bola Tinubu on May 26, when he will be flagging off the 700-kilometre coastal roads.
During the meeting, Dr. Iliasu Gashingbaki, the Group Managing Director of Meca Group in Okun-Ajah, urged the government to consider the importance of global infrastructure. He pointed out the incident where a submarine cable owned by MTN, spanning across 33 African countries, was disrupted during road construction. This disruption led to the loss of internet access in parts of Africa a few months ago.
NAN also reported that compensation was provided to approximately 11 individuals whose properties were affected by the construction of the coastal roads.