After demolitions that affected beachfront of private businesses, including the $200 million Landmark Beach Resort, a popular tourist destination, the government is now considering alternative routes to ensure the continuation of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
At the conclusion of the 3rd Stakeholders Meeting in Lagos, the Federal Government of Nigeria announced its decision to discontinue with the proposed Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway realignment.
The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, who confirmed that the proposed diversion would no longer occur due to the submarine cables along the coastline also announced that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) would not be available for now, citing Section 15 (b) of the Freedom of Information Act to support the government’s decision to withhold certain information from the press and public.
The Section Umahi cited is the exception of third-party information, which allows government institutions to deny journalists or the public access to information.
Umahi also announced that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) would not be available for now, citing Section 15 (b) of the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) to support the government’s decision to withhold certain information from the press and public.
The Section Umahi cited is the exception of third-party information, which allows government institutions to deny journalists or the public access to information.
Section 15 (b) FOI Act prescribes that: “Where the public institution considers that the application should be denied, the institution shall give written notice to the applicant that access to all or part of the information will not be granted, stating reasons for the denial, and the section of this Act under which the denial is made.”
Meanwhile, the announcement comes after the telecommunication companies warned the government of the possibility of network outage in the country if the diversion is not reconsidered.
The government has since decided not to proceed with the diversion, which would affect connectivity to the internet in the country and lead to the demolition of ancestral homes in the Okun-Ajah community.
In a video posted by journalist Laila Johnson-Salami, members of the Okun-Ajah community were seen praising the Tinubu-led administration for its decision not to use the route.
The Lagos state government had earlier claimed that Landmark Beach Resort obstructs the proposed path of a 700-kilometer coastal road connecting the state with Calabar.
The property owner, Paul Onwuanibe, 58, told CNN that he received a notice in late March to leave his multimillion-dollar beach resort because it was going to be demolished in seven days.
According to Onwuanibe, the Landmark property, which is valued at more than $200 million, is home to over 80 businesses and directly supports over 4,000 jobs. The corporation also states that it pays more over N2 billion in taxes annually.
Considered one of Nigeria’s premier tourist destinations, the beach resort welcomed over a million domestic and international guests in the previous year.
Onwuanibe clarified that he bought the land in 2007, long before the plans for the coastal highway were developed, and that he was left feeling conflicted when the demolition notice was received, which is also why he filed for compensation.
