Lagos Coastal Highway Fury: Demolitions Loom, Flood Blame Game Rages On
Authorities are addressing public concerns over flooding along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway corridor. Hitech Construction Company attributes the issue to low-lying terrain, poor drainage, and blocked waterways, while Minister David Umahi insists the highway is designed to mitigate flooding and blames human activities like blocked culverts and refuse dumping. Both federal and state governments are collaborating on flood control measures.
Recent flooding around the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway corridor and estates in the Lekki-Ajah axis of Lagos State has prompted responses from Hitech Construction Company, the firm building the 750km highway, and the Minister of Works, David Umahi, along with other stakeholders. Both have clarified that the highway itself is designed to mitigate, not exacerbate, flood challenges, attributing the persistent inundation to a combination of environmental factors and human activities.
Danny Abboud, Managing Director of Hitech Construction Company, during a stakeholders' engagement, identified the primary causes of flooding as low-lying terrain, inadequate drainage arrangements, and blocked waterways. He explained that many affected developments were constructed without proper land elevation or drainage planning, worsening conditions in naturally lower areas. Abboud emphasized the necessity for proper land elevation and improved drainage systems, urging developers and property owners to comply with Lagos State's drainage regulations. He also highlighted the detrimental impact of blocked drainage channels and indiscriminate refuse dumping, noting that Hitech, in collaboration with the Ministry, had already removed over a million cubic meters of refuse from the area. Hitech has commenced palliative repairs within some affected estates, including road network rehabilitation, following directives from the Federal Ministry of Works. The company is also supporting the reinstatement of a natural lake and has mobilized teams to clear blocked drainage channels and culverts along the corridor to improve water flow and manage flood challenges.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, strongly defended the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, asserting that its design is intended to prevent flooding. In an exclusive interview, Umahi detailed the extensive drainage infrastructure incorporated into the highway, including multiple culverts (at approximately every 50 meters) and evacuation channels. He explained that the highway's raised level, based on an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (EIA) and intelligent design, prevents ocean surges from reaching residential areas on the northern side while channeling water from low-lying southern parts. Umahi dismissed criticisms linking the highway to flooding as lacking technical understanding, stating that the Ministry's ESIA had been publicly available and subjected to international scrutiny. He further argued that severe flooding in areas like Victoria Island predated the coastal highway project, citing historical inundation during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's tenure as governor.
Umahi attributed the current flooding to