The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has announced new measures to tackle persistent flooding along the Lagos corridor of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
Speaking during a stakeholder engagement in Lagos, Umahi disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Works, in collaboration with the Lagos State Government, will construct service lanes with integrated drainage systems as part of efforts to address the challenge.
He explained that the initiative forms part of a long-term strategy to mitigate flooding caused by heavy rainfall in the area.
However, the minister noted that the project would come at a cost, as properties located within 15 metres of the highway corridor would be removed to create space for the planned infrastructure.
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In addition to the long-term measures, Umahi outlined immediate interventions, including the desilting of existing drainage channels and waterways currently blocked by refuse.
He also issued a stern warning to residents against indiscriminate dumping of waste into waterways, stressing that offenders would be arrested and prosecuted.
The minister emphasised that the measures are necessary to safeguard lives and property, as well as protect the integrity of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
Umahi, who earlier inspected the corridor alongside National Assembly leaders and contractors, maintained that the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project was not responsible for the flooding.
According to him, the flooding resulted from climate change and longstanding drainage challenges in the area.
