When I questioned the strategic value of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway in an era where we continue to struggle to maintain land-based highways, a member of our community here noted that Nigeria would abandon the realignment because few miles ahead, the builders will meet many submarine, telecom and internet cables. In other words, despite destroying private properties at scale, the realigned route was not feasible because they were cables which, if destroyed, would put Nigeria on internet and telephony darkness.
Good People, what that member wrote just happened: “The federal government has shelved and diverted realignment of Lagos-calabar coastal road projects while also saving the telecommunications infrastructure and submarine cables, among others at the axis”.
I call Mr. President to get annoyed here, and fire some people. Nigeria has many smart people, and he will not struggle to find a better team. Yes, you cannot tell me that someone did not check the locations of our core telecom infrastructure before approving the route. You cannot tell me that someone in the telecom regulatory body did not read about this to have alerted the government.
You cannot tell me that engineers in the Works ministry did not follow the law which is before you dig, check what was under. You cannot tell me that these cables were unknown until those private properties were destroyed.
Yes, no matter your party, your religion, your tribe or whatever, nothing will change until we ask those working in the government to put in the effort. If these men and women destroyed those properties with FULL awareness they would be forced to stop because of those cables, installed more than 17 years ago, we need an explanation on WHY?
This is hilarious and very shameful at a national level. We need an explanation.
With the presidential directive, Telcos, MTN submarine cables, and workstations along the Okun-Ajah community axis have been saved from demolition after a thorough assessment of the EIA impact on infrastructure and business activities along the Okun-Ajah community axis.
The minister of Works, David Umahi, while addressing stakeholders meeting in Lagos on Compensation and Environmental Impact Assessment on the coastal road project informed community groups and traditional institutions in the state, particularly the Okun-Ajah community in Lagos.
Earlier, the Okun-Ajah community cried out and warned the federal and Lagos State governments over the alleged illegal variation to the Lagos-calabar coastal highway route which put six villages at the risk of demolition and also the displacement of three traditional kings within the Community if the plan was not shelved.
