Coalition demands fair compensation for properties lost to Lagos-Calabar Highway project

The Coalition for Land Rights Advocacy in Nigeria (CLARAN) yesterday appealed to President Bola Tinubu to urge the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to respect judicial precedents and fulfil the compensation requirements in the 1999 Constitution and the Land Use Act of 1978.

The group called for just, reasonable, and adequate compensation for Project Affected Parties along the Lagos-Calabar Highway for demolished properties.

The group also criticised a statement by the Team Lead of the Ministerial Enumeration Team for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, made at the Stakeholders Summit on November 3, 2024, which indicated the use of “manufactured federal rates” based on unspecified statutory provisions.

CLARAN described this approach as unprofessional and inconsistent with the legal framework for compensation assessment in Nigeria, which mandates a market value basis.

Addressing journalists, CLARAN’s convener, Mr Sola Enitan, called for a thorough Environmental and Socio-Economic Impact Assessment (ESIA) of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project.

He argued that such an assessment would accurately reflect the compensation costs required for the project and help guide the Ministry of Works and the Presidency instead of the “shoddy and unconscionable” assessment that, he claimed, has misled the ministry.

Enitan said: “It is global best practice that land availability and right-of-way compensation claims on infrastructure projects fall between a low threshold of 15 per cent and a high threshold of 20 per cent of the projected infrastructure development cost.

“If the total Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project cost, as initially publicised by the government, is around N15 trillion, then fair compensation to Project Affected Parties would be between N2.25 trillion and N3 trillion.

“The current attempts to deprive hardworking Nigerians whose properties were acquired, revoked, and demolished for this project are unacceptable and constitute a gross violation of their property rights.”

Enitan expressed concern over the social and economic impact of inadequate compensation, which he said has led to severe financial hardship across Nigeria. He noted that insufficient and non-payment of compensation has left many property owners financially crippled, pushing them towards poverty and homelessness.

According to Enitan, displacement has inflicted deep emotional, health, and psychological trauma on families, worsened by the government’s lack of empathy and support. Forced relocation has also broken communities, stripping them of cultural and social bonds.

“We call for establishing a Presidential Monitoring Committee to oversee the Ministry’s compensation practices, ensuring they align with Nigeria’s laws and international obligations. The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project must not become a symbol of broken laws and betrayed citizens. Those affected deserve full protection under Nigeria’s legal system, with compensation that restores their dignity, financial stability, and future,” CLARAN stated.

Similarly, one of the affected property owners, who requested anonymity, lamented that the compensation paid by the government was far below the current market value of his property.

He disclosed that the Federal Government paid him N42 million for a property worth over N300 million on the market.

He appealed to President Tinubu to urgently address the injustice they have suffered due to the Lagos-Calabar Highway project.