FG To Ratain Lagos-Calabar Highway Original Route To Save Submarine Cables

The Federal Government has disclosed that the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway will retain its original route to save submarine cables

The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi made this known on Thursday, at the 3rd stakeholders meeting of the coastal highway in Lagos.

The Minister noted that the federal government will abandon the proposed new route of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway from kilometres 16 to 25 and revert to the original gazetted alignment.

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This decision came after a two-hour session that included presentations and a Q&A segment with representatives of telecommunications companies, residents of the Okun Ajah community, and other stakeholders.

Umahi highlighted that reverting to the old alignment would result in the demolition of 750 illegally built houses, whereas the new alignment would lead to the demolition of 490 houses.

He said the 2Africa submarine cable, West African Cable Systems (WACS), and a 50-megawatt power plant supporting the cables are located at Mopo, adding that disrupting this infrastructure would have national security implications and could affect internet connectivity across Africa, as seen in recent subsea cable disruptions.