By ABAH SUNDAY, Abuja
The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has commenced the demolition of properties affected by the Right of Way on section one of the Lagos -Calabar Coastal Highway following the award of the construction contract recently.
Flagging off the demolition exercise on the section 1, which is being handled by Hitech Construction Company Ltd, Minister of Works Sen. David Umahi assured that the federal government is concerned about the plight of the people and will ensure it is carried out with human face.
According to the Minister, the federal government was considering the most economically viable way to pass the coastal road without much damages.
In a statement by his media aide, Barr. Orji Orji, the Minister also assured that there would be no delay in the payment of compensation to the property owners entitled to compensation, but solicited their cooperation regarding the timeline of the demolition exercise.
He said, “We are doing some minor adjustments, and our commitment is to stay within the coastline. When the initial demolition order was passed to all the affected investors, so to speak, I graciously increased the period to another seven days and yet another 4 days, and here we are because the project stopped because of this part – the demolition.
“This demolition is going to have a pure human face and so with the utmost fear of, and gratitude, to God Almighty and commitment to the Renewed Hope agenda of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in our infrastructural development in particular, I wish to flag-off this demolition exercise to get a right of way within the coastal corridor which is the legitimate right of the federal government.”
He appealed to all those to be affected by the demolition exercise to take it as a sacrifice for the ultimate impact of the project on the economic prosperity of the nation. He highlighted the socio- economic benefits of the project, including the money it will save for businessmen and women and the stability it will bring to the economy.
Speaking during the event, one of the affected property owners, Mr. Balaji Ariyo ( Mami Chula), said the demolition would no doubt affect his business but he had no option than to make sacrifice for the greater good of millions of Nigerians whose livelihood would be impacted by the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway which has a spur that connects South to North.
He urged all those to be affected by the project to see it as a sacrifice for the good of all Nigerians.
The demolition exercise continues as the Committee of the Federal Ministry of Works on Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Section 1 Compensation, headed by the Federal Controller of Works Lagos State, Engr (Mrs.) Olukorede Iyabo Kesha works round the clock to ensure that payment of compensation to the affected property owners begins in earnest in a matter of days.