Ilaje group tackles Umahi over diversion of Lagos-Calabar coastal highway
The Ilaje Omuro Community Connect (IOCC) has challenged the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to explain the alleged diversion of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway from its originally proposed route through the Ilaje coastline in Ondo State.
The community-based organisation, which says it has more than 1,000 members of Ilaje extraction, also called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure transparency and accountability in decisions concerning the route of the multi-billion-naira infrastructure project.
In a statement addressing the alleged diversion, the group expressed concern over explanations reportedly given by Umahi’s office regarding the decision to alter the proposed route through the Ilaje coastal axis.
It argued that the issue extended beyond road construction to questions of fairness, economic inclusion, environmental protection and the equitable distribution of the benefits of national development projects.
The group questioned why the terrain of Ilaje Local Government Area was being cited as a major obstacle to the construction of the highway when road projects had previously been undertaken in the area.
It specifically referenced road construction projects undertaken by the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) along the Igbokoda-Ugbonla axis.
The organisation also cited a reported road construction contract awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in 2010 for the Ugbonla-Awoye axis, arguing that it confirms the technical feasibility of constructing roads within the Ilaje coastal environment.
The group urged the Minister of Works to explain the specific engineering, geological, environmental or financial factors that might have made the proposed route through Ilaje impracticable.
It called for the publication of feasibility studies, geotechnical assessments, environmental impact assessments, comparative cost estimates and other technical documents used in determining the highway’s final route.
According to the organisation, making the relevant documents public would help address concerns and enable Nigerians to understand the considerations behind the reported change.
The group also appealed to President Tinubu to ensure that the objectives of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project were not undermined by decisions that could disadvantage particular communities or states.
It maintained that the project, which is intended to improve connectivity and stimulate economic growth along Nigeria’s coastal corridor, should be implemented in a manner that promotes fairness and equitable development.
The organisation further argued that decisions involving public infrastructure and expenditure should be open to scrutiny, regardless of the positions held by the officials involved.
It urged the Federal Government to provide a comprehensive explanation of why the original route through the Ilaje coastal axis was reportedly altered.
The group said the public deserved to know whether the decision was based on legitimate engineering considerations or other factors.
The statement, however, did not establish independently whether the route had been formally changed or provide a response from Umahi or the Federal Government to the allegations.
