The Federal Government has insisted that it would continue construction of the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway despite ongoing court cases filed by aggrieved persons against the project. The Minister of Works, David Umahi, stated this at a press briefing on Thursday in Abuja while addressing serious concerns about the project’s procurement process that led to court proceedings by landowners. He stated that the N15.
36tn coastal highway, which will be built on concrete pavement, received all necessary legal and procedural requirements before it commenced construction. The coastal highway has been a subject of public scrutiny and controversies since the government commenced construction in March 2024. In May, Umahi disclosed that 750 houses on the path of the highway had been marked for demolition.
However, owners of affected property were displeased with the government compensation, claiming it did not match their investments. According to them, the compensation is grossly inadequate and there is the need for the government to review the payment. The founder of Leisure Games, Olanrewaju Ojo, who got N1.
3m compensation, told The PUNCH that the amount was what he could generate in a week. He said, “This is ridiculous! What am I supposed to do with this? I will make this in a week.” Stakeholders and experts also condemned the road procurement process, stressing that the contract awarded to the construction company was shrouded in secrecy and bypassed the proper procureme.