Minister of Works Sen. Dave Umahi has attributed flooding along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to Lagos State’s failure to implement its own flood master plan, alongside indiscriminate refuse dumping by residents.
Umahi made the comments during an inspection tour of Section Three of the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway on Wednesday. He said he would carry out a technical evaluation of the coastal highway and its surroundings the following day alongside members of the National Assembly, on the directive of President Bola Tinubu. “We will go and evaluate the coastal highway and the surroundings tomorrow, not that we are causing the flooding but because the President had directed that we go and technically evaluate it. We are calling the Lagos State Government because we found out that the master plan of Lagos State in terms of flooding is not being implemented. There is a number of designated points, lagoons, that this water is supposed to be drained in. They have not been done,” he said.
He also expressed frustration at the volume of refuse visible on Lagos roads, arguing that indiscriminate dumping was a major driver of the flooding. “You can see the amount of refuse even on our way. You can see the indiscipline of Nigerians that carry refuse to block drainage channels. This country belongs to all of us, so we must work,” he said.
Turning to the Sokoto-Badagry project itself, Umahi praised contractor Hitech Construction Company for its pace of work, noting the firm had completed 10 percent of the permanent construction. He directed the company to stay focused on its own scope rather than take on adjoining infrastructure, telling them to let the Ogun State Government handle its own flyover so as not to build on a foundation whose integrity has not been verified. He also used the visit to commend President Tinubu’s infrastructure record, urging Nigerians to recognise the administration’s efforts rather than criticise them.
Minister of State for Works Bello Muhammad Goronyo said he was pleased with progress on the superhighway, noting that construction spans six sections starting from Ilala in Sokoto State, his home area. He said the completed road would serve as an enabler of commerce, agriculture and employment once finished, and joined Umahi in praising Tinubu’s commitment to infrastructure development.
Senate Committee on Works Chairman Sen. Allwell Onyesoh described the superhighway as a gigantic undertaking, saying the Tinubu administration’s legacy projects should not be underrated. He urged Umahi to continue leading the country’s infrastructure push and thanked Tinubu for what he called relentless efforts toward national development.
