The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, has attributed the flooding affecting sections of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to the non-implementation of Lagos State’s flood management master plan and indiscriminate waste disposal by residents.
Umahi made the remarks on Sunday during an inspection of Section Three of the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, where he said the Federal Government would carry out a technical assessment of the coastal highway and its surrounding areas.
According to the minister, the inspection, scheduled for Tuesday, will be conducted alongside members of the National Assembly following a directive from President Bola Tinubu.
“We will evaluate the coastal highway and the surrounding areas, not because we are responsible for the flooding, but because the President has directed us to carry out a technical assessment,” Umahi said.
He said preliminary findings indicated that designated drainage channels and lagoons identified under Lagos State’s master plan had not been fully implemented, contributing to persistent flooding in parts of the state.
Umahi also blamed indiscriminate refuse disposal for worsening the situation, noting that blocked drainage channels had reduced the capacity of existing flood-control infrastructure.
“You can see the amount of refuse on our roads. People dump waste into drainage channels, and this contributes significantly to flooding. This country belongs to all of us, and we all have a responsibility to protect public infrastructure,” he said.
The minister commended President Tinubu for prioritising infrastructure development and urged Nigerians to support ongoing projects.
He also praised Hitech Construction Company Ltd., the contractor handling the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, for the pace of work, noting that about 10 per cent of the permanent works had been completed.
Umahi advised the contractor to focus on its assigned responsibilities, saying issues relating to a proposed flyover should be handled by the Ogun State Government.
Also speaking during the inspection, the Minister of State for Works, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded on the project, describing the superhighway as a critical infrastructure that would enhance trade, agriculture and employment opportunities.
He said the road, which begins from Illela in Sokoto State, would serve as a major driver of economic growth when completed.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Sen. Allwell Onyesoh, described the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway as one of the Federal Government’s major legacy projects and urged the Ministry of Works to sustain the pace of implementation.
He also commended President Tinubu and the ministry for their commitment to advancing infrastructure development across the country.
