David Umahi, Minister of Works, says the federal government is planning to build a spur connecting the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway to the East-West road, clarifying that the coastal highway’s alignment has not been changed.
In an interview with Arise TV released on Friday, Umahi said
the proposed connection would provide an alternative route for motorists,
adding that design work was ongoing.
The clarification follows his earlier statement in October
that President Bola Tinubu had directed that the coastal highway be routed
through the existing East-West road from Ondo state into Edo state.
Umahi had said the directive was intended to prevent the
construction of a new alignment along the corridor.
“Divert, do not do any new alignments. Pass the coastal
highway through the existing East-West road,” the minister had quoted Tinubu as
saying.
He also cited flooding along parts of the East-West road,
particularly around the Ughelli axis in Delta state, as one of the reasons for
the proposed connection.
‘IT’S A SLIP OF THE TONGUE’
However, speaking on Arise TV, Umahi said the coastal
highway’s alignment remained intact, explaining that the plan was to construct
a spur linking it to the East-West road rather than divert or realign the
project.
“The alignment is intact, but anybody saying that we should
remove Edo state, we are not removing Edo state,” he said.
“We are routing from Ondo to Edo state and then within the
coastal line of Delta, you know, the Delta line of Bayelsa.
“No, the word ‘divert’, you know, if I use that, then it’s a
slip of the tongue. It’s to also put a spur. That’s the correct language, you
know. It is connecting, and even if you say ‘to align’, you can say a spur.”
Umahi said the proposed connection would improve access
along the corridor and give motorists an alternative route.
“We are connecting it also to have a spur on East-West road
and make it very beautiful. And don’t forget that it becomes an alternative
route,” he said.
The minister said the reconstruction of the East-West road
was necessary because some sections had fallen below flood levels, leaving them
vulnerable to flooding.
He attributed the flooding challenges to climate change,
adding that parts of the road had been cut off by flooding about two weeks
earlier.
Umahi said the federal government planned to use reinforced
concrete pavements in reconstructing the road to address the challenges.
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