The Federal Ministry of Works has moved to realise the proposed Lagos- Calabar Coastal Road Project in collaboration with the Lagos State government by kick-starting the procedure to determine the number of properties that fall within the Right of Ways (RoW).
The commencement of the N1.06 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal road project spanning 700 kilometres is expected to trigger improved property development across states which it will traverse, promote trade and boost commuting time.
The Federal government recently approved the starting of the first phase of the coastal road project, which will run from Lagos to eight other states including Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River. The project will have two spurs leading to Northern states and will be constructed with concrete.
Essentially, the road is expected to link other federal roads from Lagos to Sokoto, Warri to Kaduna, Port Harcourt to Kano-Maiduguri and Calabar to Maiduguri. The first phase will begin in Lagos and will cover a 47.47-kilometre dual carriageway with five lanes on each side and a train track in the middle.
The construction work has been awarded to Hitech Construction Company Limited and would connect major roads and bridges in the country, such as the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, the Fourth Mainland Bridge, the Lekki Deep Sea Port Road, and the Ogoja-Ikom Road. The project is expected to be completed within 36 months, with sections two and three running concurrently.
The Minister for Works, Dave Umahi, said the project would use concrete pavement construction, which would benefit local cement producers, steel makers, and bitumen explorers. He said the project would use various construction methods, such as deck on a pile, sand filling, and retaining walls, adding that a distance of 10 to 12 kilometres from the shorelines will be considered to avoid erosion and environmental issues.
Already, the Lagos State government has begun the removal of illegal structures and shanties along the route to reclaim the coastal road alignment for the construction of the Highway.
The Lagos state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the government has started the removal of all illegal structures and shanties built around Jakande Estate and Maiyegun, Lekki, which is geared towards reclaiming the coastal road alignment for the Lagos-Calabar Highway project of the Federal Government and the urban regeneration of the area.”
The government explained that the main objective of the collaboration towards realisation of the project is to unlock potential of coastal communities in line with international standards. It appealed to property owners/occupiers of identified structures to cooperate by moving them away from the ROW of the said road as may be required for the successful execution of the project.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Oluwole Sotire, said for clarity, the ROW of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road covers the entire 103km stretch within Lagos State, from Ahmadu-Bello Way through several coastal communities to the Lagos-Ogun boundary, Ode-Omi.
The ministry said: “It is noteworthy that any affected owner who has compensation claims would be required to forward their documents for records and administrative purposes such as title document of property; approved planning permit for the affected building; and any other relevant document in respect of the property.”
Also speaking, an official who pleaded anonymity explained that at the present stage, it is difficult to categorically determine the number of property owners that will be affected.
“The essence of calling on those who have compensation claims and documents is to make people around the coastal axis aware before officers’ visit for enumeration to determine the alignment of the project.
After this, the number of houses to be affected would be determined. Any property within the ROW will be affected based on the enumeration,” the source said.
