Umahi Reveals The Real Reason Behind Flooding On Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway

Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has attributed the flooding recorded along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to the failure to implement Lagos State’s flood management master plan, insisting that the highway project is not responsible for the situation.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Umahi made the remarks on Sunday while inspecting Section Three of the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway project.

According to the minister, poor drainage planning and the indiscriminate disposal of refuse by residents have significantly contributed to flooding in parts of Lagos.

He disclosed that he would join members of the National Assembly on Tuesday to carry out a technical assessment of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and surrounding areas, following a directive from President Bola Tinubu.

“We will evaluate the coastal highway and its surroundings. It is not because the project is causing the flooding, but because the President directed that we conduct a technical assessment,” Umahi said.

He explained that investigations revealed Lagos State’s flood control master plan had not been fully implemented, noting that several designated drainage channels and lagoons meant to receive excess water had not been properly developed.

“We are engaging the Lagos State Government because we discovered that the state’s flooding master plan is not being implemented. There are designated lagoons where floodwaters should be channelled, but that has not been done,” he stated.

Umahi also decried the widespread dumping of refuse into drainage systems, describing it as a major factor worsening flooding across the state.

“You can see the volume of refuse along the roads. It is unfortunate that some people block drainage channels with waste. This country belongs to all of us, and we all have a responsibility to protect it,” he said.

The minister commended President Bola Tinubu for prioritising infrastructure development and urged Nigerians to support the administration’s efforts rather than engage in what he described as destructive criticism.

He also praised Hitech Construction Company Ltd., the contractor handling the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, for the pace and quality of work on the project.

“Hitech has already completed about 10 per cent of the permanent works, and that is remarkable,” Umahi said, while advising the contractor to remain focused on its assignment.

He noted that the Ogun State Government should handle the construction of its proposed flyover independently, stressing that the federal government would not assume responsibility for a foundation whose integrity could not be verified.

Also speaking during the inspection, the Minister of State for Works, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded on the highway project.

He noted that construction was advancing across six sections of the road and described the pace of work as encouraging.

“I am delighted to be here to witness the progress on this section of the Sokoto-Badagry Road. The engineers have outlined the achievements so far, and work is progressing across six sections. This historic road begins from Illela in Sokoto State, my hometown,” Goronyo said.