Lagos-Calabar coastal highway at the cost of jobs and serene beachlife
Building an express linking the north to the south for good will take eight years at the cost of N4bn per kilometre, and there are plans also to erect toll stations so as to recoup investments soon enough.
The way federal officials who thought it up see it, the 700kilometres-long Lagos-Calabar coastal highway when it has been completed, is that long-lost missing final piece that would eventually unite both the southern and northern sides of a country that doesn’t know itself enough yet pulling off a new transport infrastructure milestone comes at the cost of giving away beautiful beaches for concrete roads and also some of the rare jobs that one time blossoming tourism businesses once used to provide.
Up to nine states of the federation starting from Lagos through the Lekki Deep Seaport, Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River will give up snippets of their coastlines to accommodate the construction of the highway reportedly via a public-private partnership with Chagoury Group’s Hitech.
Welcome to Lekki Port, a multi-purpose, ultra modern deep sea port located in the Lagos Free Trade Zone, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos. pic.twitter.com/stSJ3506Go
— Lekki Deep Sea Port (@LekkiPort) January 22, 2018
Construction will be in phases – each segment reducing travel time and opening up previously locked inlets that were never thought possible until President Bola Tinubu hatched up his vision of a connected Nigeria.
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On the Cross River end, annual festivals and remote natural wonders that bring tourists close to the heavens can’t hold their thirst for a speedy completion date, but the workers at the upscale Victoria Island district of Lagos worry. They are at the Landmark beach working to give a life to the atmosphere. They hold down a chilled spot for Lagosians looking to get away from megacity stress, but the coastal express underway will totally evaporate a good dream now that they have been given seven days to shut down their services and leave to make room for the coming road.
Back in a September 2023 weekend, Works minister Senator David Umahi had told a press briefing that the president wants to fast track this project because it is going to be a catalyst towards the economic development of this country, hence the speed at which businesses have been asked to leave.
No doubt there are opportunities but also losses if federal officials go through with the seven-day notice given to the beach where guests formerly used to attend the Landmark Kids Club by Maxivity.
If the beach gets torn down, there is no clear picture and comfy seat waiting elsewhere for the staff that would be displaced. Kemi Osinibi is the chief executive officer at the club.
The reddening degree of her predicament was summed up in a report by Channels TV. She said that I have about 27 staff here. With that total ecosystem, we support almost 100 people.
Right now everyone is feeling very uncertain, everyone is feeling very scared. It’s really unfathomable right now. It’s really really upsetting. Very very very upsetting that they have been asked to move.
Even though it looks like resolutions have been reached, still the owners of the Landmark Africa Group will not just take the order on the chin. There are conversations going on between Lagos State Government, federal officials and the Group’s CEO Mr Paul Onwuanibe, to see about other viable solutions so as not to disrupt a thriving tourism scene.
Obviously there [are] several conversations taking place at all levels of governments, both state and federal. I’ve had incredibly positive feedback and some of the noises coming out of the government in terms of supporting businesses, supporting FDI, increasing tourism; there’s both a commissioner and minister for tourism for the first time in Nigeria and at the same time; it tells you that there must be someone that’s saying that we’re serious about tourism here.
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Feeling optimistic that the order can be rescinded and a compromise reached, the CEO said that I can’t see how a collection of decisions will lead to the demolition of the most impactful and largest tourist platform in West Africa.
The Lagos-Calabar coastal highway intends to begin its transit from the Ahmadu Bello Way area in Victoria Island and proceed to the Lekki Deep Seaport, and from there it would join other several state and axis bridges. How President Bola Tinubu navigates the execution of his recent novel idea is the next stage.
Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.
