Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has dismissed claims that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is responsible for recent flooding in parts of Lagos, arguing instead that the problem stems from years of poor urban planning and inadequate drainage management.
Speaking during an inspection of Section Three of the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, Umahi said President Bola Tinubu had directed the Ministry of Works to carry out a technical assessment of the coastal highway and surrounding communities following widespread concerns over flooding.
The minister stressed that the inspection was intended to establish the facts, insisting that the ongoing highway construction should not be blamed without technical evidence.
According to Umahi, the major cause of flooding is the failure to implement Lagos State’s flood management master plan, particularly the development and maintenance of designated drainage channels and lagoons meant to channel excess water.
He also blamed indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drainage systems, saying blocked waterways continue to worsen flooding across the commercial city.
“This country belongs to all of us. We must protect our environment by keeping drainage channels free of waste,” he said.
Umahi praised President Tinubu’s infrastructure agenda, urging Nigerians to support projects designed to improve connectivity and drive economic growth instead of making what he described as unfounded criticisms.
The minister also commended Hitech Construction Company Ltd. for the pace of work on the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, noting that about 10 percent of the permanent construction has already been completed.
Minister of State for Works, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, described the highway as a strategic investment that will boost trade, agriculture, job creation and regional economic integration once completed.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Senator Allwell Onyesoh, also praised the project, describing it as one of the Tinubu administration’s landmark infrastructure initiatives.
The Federal Government is expected to conclude its technical evaluation of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as debate continues over the causes of recurring flooding in Africa’s largest city.
