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Tag: Lagos-Calabar coastal

  • Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road: CSOs demand compensation for affected property owners

    Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road: CSOs demand compensation for affected property owners

    A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has called on the federal government to provide compensation to property owners affected by demolitions in the Okun-Ajah area of Lagos State, following the ongoing construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

    The CSOs made their demands during a peaceful demonstration at the Federal Ministry of Works’ Glass House in Obalende, Lagos.

    The protesters carried placards and banners expressing concerns over the impact of the road project on local residents and called for government engagement and redress.

    Speaking during the protest, the National Coordinator of Activists for Good Governance, Declan Ihekaire, appealed to the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to initiate discussions with affected residents and ensure that due compensation is provided in line with established procedures for public infrastructure projects.

    “In government-led construction projects, it is customary to engage in dialogue with affected communities to ensure fair compensation and transparency,” he said.

    Ihekaire further urged the federal authorities to prioritise inclusive consultation, especially for Nigerians in the diaspora who may have invested in properties within the affected corridor.

    “Many of the affected property owners reside abroad. Encouraging investment from the diaspora requires assurances that their efforts and resources will be respected and protected,” he added.

    The coalition also called on President Bola Tinubu to establish a committee to review the process and ensure that all actions taken align with the rule of law and public interest.

    “We believe an independent review will help promote transparency and show that the administration is committed to fairness and justice,” Ihekaire said.

    The construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, a major infrastructure project aimed at improving regional connectivity, has generated both support and concern among stakeholders, particularly in communities affected by the right of way.

    In the same vein, legal practitioner Mr Tahir Ahmad, counsel to the Foreign Investors Network of Nigeria, said the protest was prompted by what he described as an admitted case of illegal diversion of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project.

    “Minister Umahi admitted in a public interview that he had to divert the road from its original alignment due to the presence of West African undersea cables, including one owned by MTN,” Ahmad stated.

    Citing constitutional provisions, Ahmad pointed to Section 44 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which outlines the conditions under which the government may acquire private property.

    “If the government is interested in acquiring property from an individual, it must: one, issue a formal notice of revocation; two, ensure the acquisition is strictly for public interest; and three, pay full compensation to the affected owners,” he explained.

    “We are under a civilian administration, and one of the key pillars of any democracy is adherence to the rule of law,” Ahmad added.

    According to him, his clients’ hard-earned resources in diaspora, up to 250 million US dollars, together to support the administration of the Renew Hope Agenda of the president, with the hope of constructing a beautified aspect of their own dream, is now being demolished.

    “The government refused to compensate them despite having all the documents, including a certificate of occupancy,” he said.

    Ahmad said that his demand was that either the minister give them back their land, houses or compensate them with the current value and also pay damages to the foreign direct investors.

  • Work to begin on Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway’s sections 3 and 4

    Work to begin on Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway’s sections 3 and 4

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the commencement of construction for Sections 3 and 4 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, spanning from Cross River to Akwa Ibom, Works Minister Dave Umahi has disclosed.

    The minister also hinted of plans to terminate the reconstruction and rehabilitation contract for the Lokoja-Benin Road due to inexplicable delays and the contractors’ lack of commitment to addressing the needs of the people.

    He ruled out compensation for new structures and warned residents on the highway alignment to refrain from further encroachment.

    According to him, the commencement of the two Sections, being simultaneously developed with Sections 1 and 2, marks a departure from old practices, describing it as a reinforcement of Tinubu administration’s commitment to sustaining its infrastructural development with the  Renewed Hope Agenda (RHA).

    Umahi, who made the disclosure at the stakeholders’ engagement in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State at the weekend, noted that Senate President Godswill Akpabio confirmed the Tinubu’s commitment at the stakeholders’ meeting.

    In a statement yesterday by Edet Ekpenyong, on behalf of the Ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, the minister said: “We are here to introduce sections three and four of the famous Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. We started and awarded section one which started in Lagos and terminated at the deep port in Lagos and is at 47.4 km

    “There is section two that is starting at Lekki Deep Sea Port and taking it to the famous Dangote Refinery.

    “The Senate President addressed the people of Akwa Ibom state and he assured them that sections three and four will start on this part of the coastal highway and this is the fulfillment of that assurance and we are happy doing this.

    “Section three has 27 km on Akwa Ibom land 38 km on Cross River State. Section 4 is entirely on Akwa Ibom that is 80-km.

    “When you add 27 know and 80-km, you have 107 km, so you are benefiting maximizing this coastal highway.

    “When we complete the procurement process and award sections three and four, work will start in many sub-sections of this section all at the same time.

    Read Also: No compensation for new structures along Lagos-Calabar coast highway, FG warns

    “Tinubu is a man who matches his words with actions. So, we are happy with the level of commendations and support we received from Nigerians and so many benefits of the coastal highway.”

    Expressing his appreciation to the President for listening to his plea to start Section 3 and 4 of the project, Senate President Akpabio called on Akwa Ibom State Governor Pastor Umo Eno to give maximum support to the federal government on the coastal highway.

    He urged the minister to engage the services of engineers from the state on the project.

    Eno also assured the stakeholders that the state will cooperate with to ensure the project’s completion.

    On a tour of the project sites on the Calabar-Itu Road en route Cross River State from Uyo, Umahi expressed concerns over the poor state of the road and the plight of road users.

    The minister attributed the development to the attitude of some ‘unpatriotic expatriate contractors.’

  • EXPLAINER: Quick facts about Lagos-Calabar coastal road project realignment

    EXPLAINER: Quick facts about Lagos-Calabar coastal road project realignment

    The federal government has shelved and diverted the realignment of Lagos-Calabar coastal road projects.

    The revised alignment – apart from preserving the community’s heritage – also avoids disrupting essential infrastructure, especially submarine communications cables.

    As preparations for the project’s inauguration gather momentum, anticipation among stakeholders has continued to mount.

    The official flag-off ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, May 26.

    The Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project, designed to stretch 700 kilometres and pass through nine states, was awarded to Hitech Construction Company Limited on an Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Financing (EPC+F) arrangement, where the bulk of the risk falls on the contractor, and the federal government provides counterpart funding.

    The federal government commenced the construction in March 2024, beginning with the first phase of the project, which stretches 47.47 kilometres from Lagos.

    Read Also: Lagos-Calabar coastal road: Umahi, stakeholders meet on compensation

    With construction underway, the project heralds a new era of infrastructure development in Nigeria, as well as prospective tourism destinations.

    The second segment is designed to extend approximately 55 kilometres from the Lekki Deep Seaport—where the first section ends—to the boundary between Ogun and Ondo states. This phase has received approval from the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

    Umahi earlier revealed that the third section, beginning in Calabar, Cross River State, will start in July, pending finalization and approvals from the BPE and Federal Executive Council (FEC).

    Furthermore, other segments of the highway will be constructed independently, including a segment extending from Port Harcourt in Rivers State to Bayelsa State and another from Delta State to Ondo State.

    The recent changes to the highway’s alignment to avoid ancestral lands and protect critical infrastructure, including submarine cables in Lagos State.

    During the meeting, Umahi revealed that the highway would be diverted away from the shoreline for 9 kilometres, before reverting to its original route.

    This adjustment aims to safeguard vital installations like the 2Africa submarine cable and a 50-megawatt power plant, which are crucial for national security and the internet gateway.

    Section one, totaling 47.47 kilometers, has undergone a comprehensive redesign, with an alignment that prioritises both functionality and aesthetics, according to the Minister of Works.

    According to Umahi, although he has been met with significant challenges, the design of section 2 has also been concluded.

    “We have also concluded the design and we have awarded section 2, which is starting from Lekki deep sea port and is ending at the border of Ogun State and Ondo State.

    The minister assured that the coastal highway will have “befitting” tourism centres along its corridors up until the 700th kilometre, ushering in a wave of prosperity for the region.

  • Socioeconomic benefits of Lagos-Calabar coastal project

    Socioeconomic benefits of Lagos-Calabar coastal project

    By Funke Cole

    Ideas, they say, rule the world and I daresay, great ideas are indeed a sine qua non for socioeconomic growth and development anytime, any day! Any wonder that one of the common denominators and defining values of the President Bola Tinubu administration is its penchant for conceptualising as well as executing bold ideas?

    The Lagos-Calabar coastal project is one of such bold ideas that has been undertaken by the Tinubu government. Originally conceived by former President Goodluck Jonathan and later reviewed by the immediate past administration of Muhammadu Buhari, the 700-kilometre Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, which will traverse nine states including Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers states, will be a game-changer of some sorts.

    In the views of some project managers who have assessed the enormity of the Lagos-Calabar highway, they spoke in unison about the significance of the project as a major driver of the much touted blue economy, which, in their estimation, will boost the nation’s foreign direct investment.

    Experts’ opinions on the positive impacts of the project upon completion are as revealing as they are overwhelming because they speak to all-round socioeconomic development along the corridors with Nigerians as the sole beneficiaries as the project will unlock economic opportunities and open new corridors for trade, tourism, and industries.

    Firing the first salvo, the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, during a roundtable discussion in Lagos with businesses, stakeholders, and communities that the Coastal Road project will affect, said a lot will certainly give.

    The civil engineer said: “The Lagos to Calabar coastal road is a national asset at a time when Nigeria seeks to attract more investments into the economy. The federal government has adopted the engineering, procurement, construction, and financing model with 30% counterpart funding.”

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    He further said that the coastal road would have two spurs that would link up with the north of Nigeria to further integrate the region with the south in terms of movement of people, goods and services.

    Responding to concerns raised on the bidding process, Umahi said that Hi-Tech Construction Company was engaged to execute the project based on its track record in the Eko Atlantic Wall project, which has saved Victoria Island, Lagos from ocean surge, and the execution of the Dangote-tax credit Oworonsoki-Oshodi-Apapa expressway through reinforced concrete construction.

    He added that Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos, is the zero point for the 700km coastal road project connecting nine states.

    “The sections for this coastal road project include Ahmadu Bello Way to Lekki Deep Sea Port, Lekki Deep Sea Port to Ogun/Ondo boundary, Calabar to Uyo, Port Harcourt to Bayelsa, Bayelsa to Ondo. This project will unlock economic opportunities and open new corridors for trade, tourism, and industries,” the minister explained.

    On the right of way, along with the proposed demolition of structures and buildings, he clarified that the over the $150 million Landmark Event Centre and its adjoining business structures are safe except for the beach resort, which would be affected by the coastal road project. He appealed to the royal fathers, political leaders, communities, businesses, and stakeholders whose properties and investments have been marked on the right of way to work with the Federal Government to achieve a win-win situation.

    “We will compensate businesses affected along the right of way for the Lagos to Calabar coastal road project at the Federal Government-approved rate. We are also looking at redesigning and realigning the project to accommodate the genuine concerns raised by stakeholders. The project has also been developed with provisions for the rail track in the middle,” he added.

    Umahi said that a committee would be established to examine the environmental impact assessment report on the project, which would comprise representatives from coastal royal fathers, politicians, and businesses along the corridor.

    According to him, the project is valued at $11billionn (N15 trillion) , has an eight-year timeline and is expected to be completed by 2031.

    The first phase of the new 700km highway that will run through the nine coastal states is the 47.47km section beginning from Victoria Island. It has five lanes on each side of the dual carriageway and a train track in the middle.

    The superhighway is being built by Hitech Construction Company. Part of the funding will be sourced by Hitech, the contractors.

    Economic analysts have revealed that the completion of the first phase of the project alone could increase the size of Lagos State economy by 50 per cent because of the connection to Lekki Deep Seaport and the Lekki economic corridor where Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Complex is situated alongside other multinational industries.

    Also speaking on the benefit of the coastal road and how it will transform the economy of Cross River State, the state Commissioner of Information, Erasmus Ekpang, in a press statement, said the state government is overwhelmingly grateful to President Tinubu for embarking on the project decades after the necessity for the coastal road had been muted.

    The highway, according to the commissioner, “will serve as a catalyst to transform the economy of Cross River state for optimum impact. I want to applaud President Tinubu for the political will to translate this lofty dream into a concrete reality.

    “This coastal highway is going to be a game changer for the socio-economic status of Cross River. It is bound to add value to our rich agricultural produce while enhancing the profit base of local farmers. The benefits in the value chain are unimaginable,” he said, adding that the highway would boost the tourism economy of Cross River.

    “When completed, the road will also boost tourism traffic to our unique tourism sites by attracting an unprecedented number of tourists, given the thrills and frills synonymous with road travel,” he explained.

    Echoing similar sentiments, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Cross River, Alphonsus Eba was effusive with praises to President Tinubu, who, according to him, has fulfilled a key aspect of his campaign promises to the people of the state.

    “President Tinubu has once again demonstrated that he is a man of his word by keeping to his promise. When Senator Ben Ayade voiced this request during the presidential campaign in Calabar, he knew the economic importance of the road.

    “Nothing is more gratifying at the moment than the cheering news of the commencement of the highway. This is a huge boost to the current drive of Governor Bassey Otu to alter the socio-economic narrative of our state. The highway is bound to ensure our rapid transformation in all facets of economic development by driving traffic of investors and tourists,” he said.

    –Cole, a public affairs analyst writes from Lagos