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By Faheem Lawal
Minister of Works, David Umahi, has dismissed claims that the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway caused recent flooding in parts of Lagos, attributing the situation instead to poor drainage infrastructure, failure to implement the state’s drainage master plan and indiscriminate dumping of refuse into waterways.
Umahi spoke on Sunday during an inspection of the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway project, where he described allegations linking the coastal highway to the flooding as technically unfounded.
According to him, Lagos State law does not permit surface water to be discharged directly into the Atlantic Ocean without proper drainage channels, making it incorrect to conclude that the federal road project was responsible for the flooding.
“You have to ask yourself whether there was drainage from the surrounding areas into the ocean,” he said.
The minister disclosed that, despite his confidence that the highway was not responsible, a technical team would inspect the project corridor and surrounding areas the following day on the directive of President Bola Tinubu. He said the exercise was intended to establish the facts surrounding the flooding, not because the ministry believed the road project had contributed to it.
Umahi also blamed residents who dump refuse into drainage channels and build structures on natural waterways, saying such practices had worsened flooding across the state.
He further argued that the Lagos State Government had yet to fully implement the drainage components contained in its master plan, contributing to the recurring flooding experienced in several parts of the state.
On the progress of federal road projects, the minister commended HITECH Construction Company for maintaining what he described as uniform construction standards across project locations in Lagos, Calabar, Akwa Ibom, Kebbi, Sokoto and Badagry.
He credited the Tinubu administration with accelerating the delivery of long-delayed infrastructure projects across the country.
Umahi also warned contractors handling federal road projects against diverting government funds without corresponding progress on site.
“The ministry will not hesitate to prosecute any contractor found guilty of mismanaging project funds,” he said.
He added that the Federal Ministry of Works would concentrate on road construction and service lanes at one bridge location currently under discussion, while any flyover component would be the responsibility of the relevant state government.
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The minister also revealed that the Federal Government had recently flagged off major road projects in Plateau and Borno states, including the Bama and Dikwa roads, noting that the projects form part of broader efforts to improve access and strengthen security along the Chad and Cameroon border corridor.
Providing an update on the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, the Engineer-in-Charge of the project, Oyewande Aliu, said substantial progress had been made on the 162.352-kilometre alignment.
“We have completed about 25 kilometres on the left-hand side and slightly less than 10 kilometres on the right-hand side,” he said.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Senator Allwell Onyesoh, commended President Tinubu for appointing the current leadership of the Ministry of Works.
“I want to thank him again for appointing the Minister of Works and the Minister of State for Works,” he said.
He also praised HITECH for the quality of its work, saying the company had built a strong reputation beyond Nigeria.
On the economic impact of infrastructure, Onyesoh said governments create the enabling environment for economic growth through investment in public infrastructure rather than direct distribution of food.
“Nigerians are complaining about hunger, but the government does not feed anybody. It creates an enabling environment,” he said.
Minister of State for Works, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, also expressed satisfaction with the pace of work on the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, saying construction activities were progressing simultaneously across six sections.
“They are working on six sections. They have achieved almost 30 kilometres of CRCV, while between 70 and 80 kilometres of stone base and stabilisation have been completed,” he said.
He listed several contractors currently executing projects in Sokoto State and defended the quality of roads being constructed under the current administration.
“He is building roads that will last for 50 years or more,” Goronyo said.
