FG commences demolition of infrastructure on Right of Way of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway

• Demolition started from Mami Chula Beach in Lagos today.

The Federal Government has flagged of the demolition of infrastructure on the federal government’s right of way (ROW) on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, today in Lagos.

The Minister of Works, Sen. Engr. David Umahi addressed the press after an inspection tour with the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Engr. (Mrs) Olukorede Kesha, contractor and members of the press on the areas of the Right of way (ROW) along the Corridor of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway today.

Umahi while declaring the commencement of the demolition exercise stated that from Kilometre zero to Kilometre four, Mami Chula Beach owed by Bolaji Ariyoh was majorly affected.

The minister hailed Bolaji for also commending President Bola Tinubu for the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, adding that he has been quite cooperative and encouraging to see a young man losing such thing.

“We have valued his property and will commence the demolition from this place today,” he said.

Umahi emphasized that the owner of Land Mark has been making so much noise to draw attention even though he has visited the place and assured him the none of his infrastructure will be affected in the demolition except the shanties that are on the federal government right of way there.

“I have now directed the owner of Land Mark after the extension of times given has elapsed to shut down because the shanties will be demolished tomorrow. What we are doing is to pass the coastal road on the Federal government right of way. If he is playing politics with it, my job is simple to pass the coastal road.

“From Wednesday to Thursday next week, the compensation for Mami Chula Beach will be paid,” he revealed.

According to him, the ministry is doing some minor adjustments and the commitment is to stay within the coastal road and has now gone through kilometre 13 and kilometre 20 today considering the most economic and valuable way to do it without much damages.

“We are also considering the economic value of the coastal road, so the demolition is progressive as one point of the road align to the other, so we will stay within the right of way,” he added.

The minister stated further that there is money that the Federal General will save from the road as well as the decongestion of the port for the ships that cannot berth at Apapa.

On his part, Bolaji Ariyoh, owner of Mami Chula Beach told the news men before the demolition commenced that the Lagos-Coastal Road is what they have been clamouring for as they continue to pray for the development of Nigeria.

Bolaji said “I believe so much in Mr President and as a Lagosian this is a development we have set out for a long time and it is good that Mr President is doing that right now. In every development some people pay the price and sacrifice for such development. I was on government side before and I know what it is when government is promising. Some of us are affected no doubt about it, but some of us are not up to 0.9 per cent in the million of people that will enjoy it. That is why people like me have taken it to heart to support Mr President and the honourable minister to ensure that it come to light.

“It is going to look very difficult now, but you will see that there will be a lot of development that will come to light. A lot of jobs will take place as the road will lead to Sokoto and outside the country. This is Lagos and you know the type of traffic from point A to point B. We are human and some of us are paying the price in good faith. We feel the pain, but you will see that it is for the benefit of all.”

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