Reps demand review of Lagos-Calabar highway realignment
The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Ministry of Works to review the proposed realignment of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and preserve the project’s original concept amid concerns over its impact on coastal communities.
The resolution followed a motion raising concerns about the proposed route changes and their potential consequences for connectivity, economic development and access to coastal settlements.
Lawmakers warned that altering the highway’s original alignment without a comprehensive assessment could undermine its economic objectives and leave several fishing and maritime communities isolated.
The House urged the ministry to undertake an independent assessment of the engineering requirements, environmental consequences, socioeconomic implications and long-term costs associated with alternative routes.
It said such an assessment should consider additional road distances, bridges, ground improvement, environmental protection measures, compensation, flood resilience and future maintenance costs.
The lawmakers also identified specialised engineering techniques, including soil stabilisation, reinforced embankments, piled foundations and elevated viaducts, as possible solutions to difficult terrain along the proposed highway.
They maintained that these alternatives should be subjected to appropriate technical and environmental assessments before decisions are taken on the project’s alignment.
The House further called for the construction of reinforced coastal feeder roads to reconnect fishing and maritime communities where the main highway is diverted inland because of unstable terrain and deep water pits.
As part of its resolutions, the lawmakers directed the Ministry of Works to submit the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to the relevant House committee for legislative scrutiny.
They stressed that environmental assessments should precede construction activities to ensure compliance with established standards and prevent avoidable damage to affected communities.
The resolution comes amid growing concerns over proposed modifications to the multibillion-naira coastal highway, one of the Federal Government’s major infrastructure projects.
Minister of Works David Umahi had previously maintained that the reconstruction of the East-West Road, stretching from Edo to Cross River State, was a separate infrastructure intervention that would not alter the coastal highway’s original alignment.
However, concerns persist over whether the proposed route changes could weaken the project’s intended benefits for coastal communities.
The House insisted that engineering feasibility, environmental protection and economic considerations must guide decisions on the highway’s final alignment.