The stakeholders meeting organized by the Ministry of Works, to compensate landowners affected by the controversial Lagos-Calabar coastal road project, took a dramatic turn on Wednesday, after the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, accused the owners to play politics.
The minister also accused Labor presidential candidate Peter Obi, who has been very vocal about the project, of inciting people in the south-east, who he said are not well informed about the project, to oppose the federal government.
In response, Peter Obi, in a series of tweets, clarified the circulating video, stating that during his tenure as governor of Anambra State, he made it clear that all structures obstructing existing roads and lacking adequate approval would be withdrawn, and that its actions were aimed at prioritizing the repair and maintenance of existing infrastructure in order to safeguard the livelihoods of Nigerians and ensure efficient use of resources. He also addressed Umahi’s comparisons and accusations.
During the question and answer session with journalists, the minister was asked about the project approval process by our environmental correspondent, Laila Johnson Salami, which apparently unsettled the minister, as she claimed she did not understand his question because of his accent.
Meanwhile, social media users have posted videos of bad roads that need to be reconstructed. A video of the Benin – Auchi road, reported on May 1, made the rounds on social networks.
In Lagos State, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, on Wednesday revealed that government had discovered 86 rooms under the Dolphin Estate bridge in Ikoyi, where tenants were paying an annual rent of 250,000 000 Naira.
Wahab posted videos showing commission officials demolishing the rooms, sparking an online debate over the high cost of living in Lagos, with many questioning the logic behind paying such a high price to live under a bridge.
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