Umahi Clarifies Decision To Link Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway With East West Road In Ondo

The Minister of Works Engr. David Umahi has clarified decision to link 750 kilometres Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway with the existing East West road in Ondo State.

He spoke on Friday during an interview on Arise Television where he clarified controversies surrounding the legacy project.

The minister said the additional stretch involved connecting the coastal highway to the existing East-West Road through Edo State, rather than abandoning the original alignment.

“The alignment is intact,” he said, insisting that Edo remained part of the route involving Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.

He acknowledged that describing the connection as a diversion was inaccurate, explaining that the intention was to provide a spur linking the highway to the East-West Road.

“It’s to also put a spur. The word divert, if I used that then it’s a slip of the tongue. We are talking about the connection of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, we are connecting it also to have a spur on the East-West Road,” Umahi said.

He added that the connection would provide an alternative route and support the reconstruction of the East-West Road, parts of which he said had deteriorated and fallen below flood levels.

The minister said design work on the connection was ongoing, maintaining that it should not be confused with the original 750km coastal highway.