President Tinubu Commissions 30km Stretch Of 750km Road Project In Lagos
President Bola Tinubu on Saturday commissioned the first phase of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to infrastructure delivery, local content, and economic empowerment.
The event, held in Lagos, marked the unveiling of a 30-kilometre segment of the ambitious 750-kilometre highway, a signature project expected to link Nigeria’s coastal states from Lagos to Cross River.
The President, speaking at the commissioning, stressed the need for full compliance with laws on local content, training of Nigerians, and technology transfer, directing the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, and other ministers to ensure strict adherence.
He said, “Let me warn all developers that the Federal Government will enforce building setbacks. If not for anything, then for national interest. Developers who proceed without approvals will not be compensated. We have gazetted and published the required setbacks, and enforcement will follow.”
The President acknowledged the intervention of Engineer Ronald Chagoury in halting the encroachment of the Atlantic Ocean that once threatened Victoria Island and Ikoyi, noting that the feat prevented a disaster “greater than a tsunami”.
“I said we would do it, and we did. We averted a disaster and saved key areas of Lagos,” he said, adding that Nigerian firms must now prove capable of delivering world-class infrastructure.
He praised Hitech Construction Company Limited, the indigenous firm handling the Lagos-Calabar Highway, for its adoption of Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement, which he said guarantees durability and sustainability.
“It is with great pleasure and a sense of fulfilment that I commission this Phase I: Section I — from Ahmadu Bello Way to Eleko Village in the Lekki Peninsula,” he stated.
Tinubu also used the occasion to call on Nigerians to be patient with his administration, assuring that the economy was on the path to recovery.
“Hope is here. Our economy is stabilising, foreign exchange is steady, and food prices are beginning to come down,” he said.
The President also commissioned several road and bridge projects across the six geopolitical zones, including the Enugu-Port Harcourt Road Section III; the Calabar-Ugep-Katsina-Ala Road Section II; and the dualisation of the East-West Road in Rivers State.
Others include the Ilobu-Erinle Road in Kwara/Osun, Shendam Bridge in Plateau, and the Yakasai-Damargu-Zalli Road in Kano.
He flagged off new projects including the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesha-Akure-Benin Road; Nembe-Brass Road; and dualisation of the Kano-Maiduguri Road and Maiduguri Bypass.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, in his remarks, assured the President of continued legislative support for infrastructure renewal.
The Minister of Works revealed that the Federal Government had disbursed N18 billion as compensation for those affected by the Lagos-Calabar Highway construction, emphasising that all projects must prioritise citizens’ welfare.
Present at the event were governors from Lagos, Ogun, Delta, Edo, Ondo, Bayelsa, Borno, Ekiti, Kogi, Cross River, and Imo States; Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka; National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu; and top industrialists including Aliko Dangote, Abdulsamad Rabiu, and Tony Elumelu.
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
