Umahi Defends Ondo Coastal Highway Diversion, Cites Engineering Challenges

Minister of Works David Umahi has defended the Federal Government’s decision to realign the Ondo section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, citing difficult terrain and the potential cost of constructing the road along its original route.

Umahi made the remarks in Abuja while providing an update on the Federal Government’s major road projects. He said the decision followed engineering assessments intended to ensure the project could be delivered safely and efficiently while making effective use of public funds.

According to the minister, the original alignment passed through areas containing pits more than 100 metres deep, with no suitable sharp sand available at depths of up to 300 metres. He argued that the geological conditions would have made construction significantly more complicated and expensive.

Umahi said the government consequently opted for a detour and redesigned the affected section to avoid the most difficult terrain.

He acknowledged that the decision had attracted petitions from individuals and groups opposed to the route change but maintained that the government had no regrets about the decision.

The minister added that filling work on the redesigned alignment, involving the placement of sharp sand at depths exceeding 10 metres in some locations, was nearing completion.

Diversion Affects 67 Kilometres

The realignment affects Sections 4A and 4B of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, covering a combined 67 kilometres. Of this distance, 27 kilometres are in Ogun State and approximately 40 kilometres are in Ondo State, with the corridor terminating around the Ondo-Edo axis.

The route change has drawn criticism from the Ilaje Omuro Community Connect, which has called for an independent engineering assessment and an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the decision.

The group has also requested a public explanation of the technical reasons for rejecting the proposed route through the Ilaje coastal axis and an examination of the financial implications of the realignment.

The community’s concerns have placed the route change under increased scrutiny, particularly over whether the revised alignment adequately serves the coastal communities originally expected to benefit from the project.

Umahi, however, has maintained that engineering considerations and construction costs drove the decision.

Government Provides Update on Other Highway Sections

Providing an update on the wider project, Umahi said the first section, a 47.47-kilometre stretch beginning at Victoria Island in Lagos, had been completed and was ready for commissioning.

He also said pavement construction on the second section, covering 55 kilometres from Lagos towards the Lagos-Ogun boundary, was expected to be completed in November 2026.

Work is continuing on other sections of the highway across the South-South region, including projects in Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.

Coastal Highway to Connect With East-West Road

Umahi further disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had directed that the highway’s continuation from Ondo into Edo State should follow the existing East-West Road rather than require an entirely new alignment through the affected corridor.

The minister said the decision was also influenced by flooding concerns along parts of the existing road. He explained that some sections would need to be raised to address current and anticipated flooding associated with changing climatic conditions.

The revised route includes the 45-kilometre Benin Bypass, which is intended to allow motorists to avoid passing through the centre of Benin City and help ease traffic congestion.

Umahi also highlighted other federal road projects across the Niger Delta, including ongoing works in Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.

The coastal highway remains one of the Federal Government’s major infrastructure projects. While the minister has defended the Ondo realignment on technical and financial grounds, calls for an independent assessment and greater disclosure have kept the route decision under public scrutiny.