Reps ask FG to retain original Lagos-Calabar coastal highway route
Reps ask FG to retain original Lagos-Calabar coastal highway route
The house of representatives has asked the federal government to retain the original route of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway through Ondo state and Escravos–Ogheye–Ugborodo corridor in Delta state.
The green chamber passed the resolution on Wednesday following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Thomas Ereyitomi, lawmaker representing Warri north/Warri south/Warri west federal constituency in Delta.
David Umahi, minister of works, had said the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway would be re-routed through the existing East-West road from Ondo into Edo state.
The minister said the decision was informed by flooding challenges along the East-West road, particularly around the Ughelli axis in Delta state, adding that it was intended to prevent the construction of a new alignment along the corridor.
Ereyitomi told the parliament on Wednesday that the proposed realignment could undermine the highway’s original connectivity plan and deny coastal communities access to the project’s economic benefits.
He said the planned realignment bypasses the riverine communities of Delta, particularly the Ogheye–Orere–Ugborodo–Escravos corridor, which hosts the Chevron tank farm and Escravos gas-to-liquids (EGTL) plant, and other coastal communities which host strategic oil and gas infrastructure and other vital domestic flow stations that contribute significantly to Nigeria’s crude oil exports, foreign exchange earnings, energy supply, and national economic development.
The lawmaker said retaining the original coastal alignment of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway would strengthen access to these critical economic hubs, improve the movement of personnel, equipment, and commercial goods, support the development of connecting roads and related infrastructure, and broaden the highway’s potential economic benefits.
“Any assessment of alternative alignments should consider the full costs of construction, including additional road distance, bridges, ground improvement, environmental mitigation, compensation, flood resilience, and long-term maintenance, while recognising that specialised engineering solutions, including soil stabilisation, geosynthetics, piled foundations, reinforced embankments, and elevated viaducts, may offer potential options for addressing difficult terrain, subject to site-specific technical and environmental assessments,” he said.
Contributing to the debate, Awaji-Inombek Abiante, lawmaker from Rivers, criticised the proposed realignment and said that it could deprive coastal communities of the benefits promised by the project.
Abiante questioned whether the government would cite difficult terrain as a reason to avoid the same areas if it were involved in crude oil extraction.
He said Umahi should appear before parliament to explain the decision, adding that his constituency had not been given any environmental impact assessment for the project.
The legislator expressed doubts that the house committee on works would “adequately” probe the matter.
But Benjamin Kalu, the presiding officer, cut him short and demanded that Abiante withdraw his comment questioning the committee’s competence.
Abiante later clarified that the committee should consider the interests of affected communities and base its recommendations on a clear understanding of why the realignment was necessary.
On his part, Mark Esset, a lawmaker from Akwa Ibom, proposed that the ministry of works should submit the highway’s environmental impact assessment to the house.
He said the assessment would help identify potential environmental challenges and outline measures to address them before construction proceeds.
Ademorin Kuye, Lagos lawmaker, also proposed that where the main dual carriageway diverts inland because of deep water pits and unstable terrain, reinforced coastal feeder roads should be constructed to reconnect isolated maritime and fishing communities to the highway.
The lawmakers unanimously adopted the motion and the proposals when Kalu called for a voice vote.
