Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway: Coast never belonged to Landmark

The Minister of Public Works, Dave Umahi, has claimed that the coastline affected by the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway never belonged to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Landmark Africa Group, Paul Onwuanibe.

According to Arise TV, Umahi spoke at the second meeting with parties affected by the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, which was held in Lagos on Wednesday.

He planned infrastructure It is designed to link the former capital with Calabar, a port city near the border with Cameroon.

Landmark is located on the beachfront of the Atlantic Ocean in the affluent Victoria Island area of ​​Lagos.

Some Landmark Beach Resort employees also protested the sand filling of the beach.

“The coast never belonged to Landmark; the owner, Onwuanibe, sublet it to people illegally,” the Minister of Works said, insisting that Mr. Onwuanibe’s infrastructure was not affected.

Umahi said the owner of the Landmark is “playing politics with politicians” and added that “there is nothing to complain about.”

“The President says that this development must have two factors. One is the fear of God and the second is the human face, and that is what we have tried to do.

“Since we arrived on Thursday, we have traveled the route every day from the morning until 8 or 9 at night. We have made difficult decisions. In some cases, we have followed published routes. In other cases, we have realigned primarily toward the coastline. And the coastline from the coast, 250 meters away by ruling of the Supreme Court, belongs to the federal government.

“I speak in particular of Landmark. None of its infrastructure is affected. I agree that there are some people he subleased the place to, but the Oniru family never gave him the coast. He sublet these people, erected some caravans, improvisations, etc., within the coast. Therefore, we are dealing with these people who are subleasing the coastline illegally,” Umahi said.

The minister challenged Landmark to provide documentation to claim costs.

“I have asked you to bring your documents. I challenge him and his co-politicians; Let him show the documents to the press,” he said.

Umahi reprimands Obi

Umahi also addressed criticism of the presidential candidate of the Labor Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi.

The former Anambra governor had described the demolition of structures for the project as “callous” and “heartbreaking.”

“A similar scenario happened when Peter Obi was governor and he made a statement. He said: “Any infrastructure that stands in the way of road construction must go and no compensation will be paid.” That’s what he said. But look at me, for the human face of the Renewed Hope Agenda administration, we are even paying for people who remain illegally on the coast and do not even have valid infrastructure or valid documents. That’s mercy.

“You know that some people advise without knowledge. When you condemn people, you condemn yourself. And that is what he has done,” stated the minister.

Coastal Highway Benefits

The Minister of Public Works stated that the coastal highway will allow people to travel with ease.

“…anyone traveling from Sokoto to Lagos will do so in about 10 hours and traveling from the South East to Abuja will be a maximum of five hours. These are the benefits of the coastal highway.

He noted that the roads will be built with concrete pavement and will attract foreign investment into the country, which in turn will strengthen the Naira.

He also said the coastal highway will be an “evacuation corridor for the deep seaport of Lagos.”