Tinubu never ordered Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway discontinued — FG

Abdullateef Fowewe

The Federal Government has clarified that President Bola Tinubu did not order the 750km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to be discontinued in favour of the East-West Road, describing the planned reconstruction of 400km of the East-West Road as an additional project.

In a statement issued on behalf of the Minister of Works, the Director of Highways, Bridges and Design, Musa Saidu, said the East-West Road reconstruction would run alongside the coastal highway and would not alter its original alignment.

The statement read, “At no time did Mr President directed that the 750km dualized Lagos Calabar Coastal Highway be discontinued to East West road from Edo state; rather, 400km of East West road from Edo to Cross River State is an additional route to be reconstructed alongside with the 750km dualized Lagos Calabar Coastal Highway.”

It explained that the East-West Road is “presently below flood level due to climate change” and has a “badly damaged” pavement, hence the need for reconstruction.

The Presidency added that the additional project “will not affect the complete construction of the entire 750km dualized Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as initially proposed.”

The Federal Government said construction is ongoing on five sections of the coastal highway in the Niger Delta: Sections 3A and 3B covering Cross River and Akwa Ibom (75km dualised); Sections 4A and 4B covering Ogun and Ondo (65km dualised); and Section 5 in Akwa Ibom (62km dualised).[channelstv]
It added that surveying and design work is ongoing for the remaining sections from the end of the Ondo axis through Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers, before joining Section 5 in Akwa Ibom.

“As soon as the survey and design of the remaining sections of the 750km of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway are completed, procurement and construction will commence starting from the end of Ondo axis,” the statement said.

The Ministry of Works likened the East-West Road intervention to the additional 410km Wukari/Langtan route approved for the Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Biu-Maiduguri project, which expanded that corridor from 700km to 1,100km.

“All sections of the Legacy Projects are ongoing as proposed and the additional projects will not affect the performances of the original alignment nor will it change it,” the statement said.

The government urged the public to “ignore any misinformation” about President Tinubu’s commitment to delivering the projects as planned.