Minister Umahi explains four-month delay on Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway

Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, says the construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway was delayed for more than four months due to a 50-year-old dumpsite discovered along the project route.

Speaking in Lagos on Monday during an inspection of the project, Umahi explained that the dumpsite, which was over 10 metres deep and stretched two kilometres, forced engineers to halt work until it was cleared.

He noted that the project also faced challenges at kilometre zero, where the Landmark Beach infrastructure and other properties stood in the path of the original design. To preserve the facilities, the ministry revised the highway’s alignment.

“We decided as a responsible ministry to vary the design of the project. The implication is that we left the coast and came to a new alignment that was not designed for the project,” Umahi said.

The minister clarified that Landmark Beach on Lagos Island was not demolished, contrary to reports, adding that only the shanties surrounding the facility were cleared. The highway’s six lanes were split into three on each side to protect the beach.

He disclosed that the federal government spent N15 billion to manage the challenges and directed that all videos and drawings of the additional works be made public.

Dany Abboud, managing director of Hitech Construction Company Ltd., contractors for the project, said the highway was split at kilometre 2.7 to avoid demolishing Landmark Beach and nearby properties, before merging again at kilometre 5.

Abboud added that significant waste deposits were also found between kilometres 3 and 9, particularly at kilometres 4 and 9, requiring deep excavation and replacement with sand to stabilise the road.