Umahi Defends Ondo Coastal Highway Diversion, Cites Difficult Terrain

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has defended the Federal Government’s decision to divert the Ondo section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, citing difficult terrain and the need to reduce construction costs.

Umahi said the original route passed through areas with pits exceeding 100 metres in depth and lacked suitable sharp sand for up to 300 metres, making construction significantly more expensive.

The minister made this known in Abuja while providing an update on President Bola Tinubu’s four legacy road projects, maintaining that the diversion was informed by engineering considerations and the need to ensure value for public funds.

He acknowledged receiving petitions over the decision to alter the highway’s alignment in Ondo State but insisted that the government had no regrets about the move.

“I am aware of petitions against me saying I diverted the Ondo section. I welcome that. That is how it is supposed to be because we are serving the public. You are subject to public scrutiny,” he said.

Umahi explained that the ministry opted for a different route after assessing the challenges associated with the original alignment.

According to him, the alternative route required filling sections of the road with sharp sand to a depth of more than 10 metres, adding that the filling work was almost completed.

The diversion affects Sections 4A and 4B of the coastal highway, covering 67 kilometres, comprising 27 kilometres in Ogun State and approximately 40 kilometres in Ondo State, with the section terminating around the Ondo-Edo axis.

Coastal Highway Progress

Providing an update on the broader project, Umahi disclosed that Section 1, a 47.47-kilometre stretch beginning from Victoria Island, Lagos, had been completed and was ready for commissioning.

He added that the dual carriageway on Section 2, covering 55 kilometres and terminating at the Lagos-Ogun boundary, was expected to be completed next month.

The minister said the construction of flyovers, overpasses and underpasses along the section had required extensive redesign, particularly around the Dangote Refinery and Lekki Deep Seaport.

He explained that an 86-metre-span bridge, featuring 43-metre counterforts, had been designed to accommodate refinery trucks and address traffic conflicts involving the deep-seaport railway, the Dangote tax-credit road and the 25-kilometre Seventh Axial Road linking Epe to the Sagamu Expressway.

Umahi said the redesigned flyover would resolve the transportation challenges in the area.

At the Calabar end, he disclosed that Sections 3A and 3B, covering 65 kilometres, had recorded more than 30 per cent completion.

He also confirmed that construction was ongoing on Section 5, an 82-kilometre dual carriageway in Akwa Ibom State, alongside an 88-kilometre road linking Calabar to Ebidi Beach to connect with the Trans-Saharan route.

Tinubu Directs East-West Road Alignment

The minister further revealed that President Tinubu had directed that the continuation of the coastal highway from Ondo into Edo State should follow the existing East-West Road rather than a new alignment.

He described the directive as a significant development, noting that the existing road was constructed without sufficient consideration for climate change and increasing flood risks.

Citing recent flooding in Ahoada, Umahi said sections of the road would need to be raised by approximately two metres to protect them from current and anticipated flood levels.

He said the decision to adopt the East-West Road alignment would provide a lasting solution to the challenges while improving connectivity across the region.

Umahi put the Ondo-Edo corridor at 104 kilometres, including the 45-kilometre Benin Bypass, which is expected to divert traffic away from Benin City’s urban centre and ease congestion.

He said the project would improve transportation and stimulate economic activities, while commending the governors of Edo and Delta states for supporting federal road projects.

Other Niger Delta Road Projects

On other road projects in the Niger Delta, Umahi disclosed that route surveys and procurement were ongoing for the 129-kilometre dual carriageway linking the Edo-Delta boundary to the Delta-Bayelsa boundary.

He said construction was expected to commence in November.

The minister also reported ongoing work on the 15-kilometre Eleme Junction-to-Onne road and the 9.7-kilometre Eket Bypass.

On the road linking Akwa Ibom State to Calabar through Odukpani, Umahi said Hitech and Sammya Tech had been mobilised to undertake emergency remedial works and the reconstruction of the 82-kilometre dualised stretch.

He explained that the contract previously awarded to CCECC had been reduced in scope due to funding constraints.

Umahi urged residents of the Niger Delta to acknowledge the Federal Government’s investments in road infrastructure across the region.

He maintained that the ongoing projects represented a major intervention by the Tinubu administration to improve connectivity, ease transportation challenges and promote economic growth in the Niger Delta.