The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has revealed why President Bola Tinubu ordered the rerouting of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road.
He said the directive was given to avoid undersea communications cables and critical services near the coastline.
The minister said the two wrote a petition to Mr Tinubu, after which the president called him and warned him not to touch cables coming from the sea.
He disclosed this during a question and answer session at a stakeholder engagement meeting held at Eko Hotel, Lagos on Sunday.
Concerned residents raised questions regarding the specific scope of the project, known as “Chain 16 to 18.”
Residents explained that the diversion of this section of the coast road affected housing estates where Nigerians in the diaspora and local cooperatives live.
“The reason why I am here is because of chains 16 to 18. I have been talking about it for a long time. It was diverted onto our property, which is owned by…” the woman said.
Umahi acknowledged the concerns and explained that the diversion was necessary to avoid critical infrastructure such as undersea communication cables and other critical equipment.
He cited specific areas where highways intersect, such as the MTN cable line and nearby power plants. For example, at a 19-kilometre point near the MTN cable and power plant, the ministry chose to build a viaduct across the cable line rather than work directly over the cable line and risk disruption. .
“We have cables, so we’re going to build a viaduct to go over the road there,” he said.
He noted that the original plan was to keep the road along the coast, but adjustments were made following the directives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“The problem is that we have diverted the coastal road, so to speak, to places that are not gazetted,” Umahi admitted.
The minister added, “It’s cheaper and better for us to go within the coastline. He went to send a letter, so he called me and told me not to touch the cables coming from the sea. I also avoided MTN cable lines. ”
Initially, highway design prioritized more cost-effective coastal routes.
However, following complaints from stakeholders, including businesses with essential underground facilities, President Tinubu ordered the diversion of these assets to protect them. This adjustment affected certain areas such as chain numbers 16 to 18, where roads intersect with the homelands of the Nigerian diaspora and local cooperatives.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is one of Nigeria’s biggest infrastructure projects, designed to enhance connectivity and foster economic growth along the country’s coastline, Naija News reports.
