Lagos-Calabar coastal road: Community expresses gratitude to FG after saving 200 houses from demolition

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At least 2000 homes in the Okun-Ajah Community in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State have been saved from demolition to give way to the ongoing construction of Lagos-Calabar coastal highway.

A letter of appreciation dated July 5th and signed by the Baale of Okun-Ajah, Chief Sikiru Olukosi and Secretary, Kamorudeen Balogun, disclosed this.

The community appreciated the Federal Government to consider rerouting the major road to save their community.

The community thanked President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Works, David Umahi, for their saving grace.

The letter reads in part: “The willingness of the Federal Government to consider and act upon the concerns of our community is profoundly appreciated and it demonstrates the government’s commitment to preserving our cultural heritage.

“Your decision has brought immense relief and delight to the people of Okun-Ajah Community, as our traditional home holds significant cultural and historical value to us. It is a place where our traditions and customs are upheld, and it serves as a symbol of our identity and unity.

“By choosing to reroute the road to the swamp area of the community, you have not only safeguarded a crucial part of our heritage by saving thousands of our people from homelessness but also reinforced the trust and confidence we have in the Federal Government of Nigeria that has shown human emotions for her citizenry”.

In May 2024, the community had cried out to the Federal and Lagos State governments to exclude its traditional ruler’s palace and 2,000 other homes from a revised project route, saying the properties were wrongly earmarked for demolition.

On May 24, the Federal Government reassured the Okun-Ajah community that it had heard their cry and that their properties would not be demolished.

Umahi, who met with representatives of communities within the alignment of the road between Eko Atlantic (Chainage Zero) and Eleko inside (Chainage 47.4km), said the construction around the axis would follow the original gazetted route by the federal government.

The 700-kilometre stretch of road infrastructure, which will span eight years to complete, will gulp ₦15tn.

The pilot phase of the construction has started at the Eko Atlantic City and it will terminate at Lekki Deep Seaport, for which ₦1.06tn has already been released. It is a highway of 10 lanes, which will cost ₦4bn per kilometre, and would be the first of its kind in Africa, according to the Minister of Works, David Umahi.