Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project faces delay over ESIA draft concerns

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway construction project suffered a minor setback as the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Panel, set up by the Ministry of Environment to review the draft ESIA report for the project, identified several issues in the ESIA draft submitted by the Federal Ministry of Works.

The panel, headed by Professor Oladapo Afolabi, a former Head of Civil Service, urged the proponents of the draft to address the identified gray areas.

Meeting in Lagos on Tuesday, the panel particularly questioned why the reasons for the diversion of the road at the Okun Ajah section were not presented “technically” in the draft ESIA. Stakeholders along the highway corridor have also continued to question the rationale behind the diversion of the road in Okun Ajah, urging the Ministry of Works to revert to the 2006 alignment.

Members of the panel, including Engr. Dr. Musa Emoabino, Prof. Dalhatu Singeri, Mr. Adedoyin Lasisi, and others, pointed out defects in the draft ESIA for the project. Engr. Dr. Emoabino specifically noted that the reasons for the road diversion in Okun Ajah were not adequately specified in the draft ESIA.

He aligned with the stakeholders’ agitation that the road should be shifted to the oceanside to protect the community from ocean surges. Emoabino stated, “The initial route has been changed for some reasons, and it has generated a lot of community interest. However, we have not seen the technical justification for the change.”

One of the stakeholders, Engr. Mrs Stella Okengwu, MD/CEO of Winhomes Global Estate, questioned why the ESIA report was not properly completed before the construction of the road commenced. She noted that the ESIA law stipulates that the ESIA report must be available and approved before any construction work can begin, which was not the case with the handling of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

Engr. Okengwu also highlighted that the faulty ESIA draft is already impacting about $250 million in planned investments from Nigerians in the diaspora.

Another stakeholder, Engr. Femi Adekoya, criticised the timing of the ESIA report, saying that the Federal Ministry of Works has “put the cart before the horse.”

Minister of Environment Alhaji Balarabe Abass Lawal, represented at the occasion by Dr. Abass Suleiman, assured the aggrieved stakeholders that their grievances would be taken to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He stated, “All your concerns have been noted, and I will convey them to the Honourable Minister of Environment, who I assure you will relay them to the president.”

“A mutually acceptable agreement will be reached regarding the project,” the minister’s representative also assured.

Chairman of the panel, Professor Afolabi, promised stakeholders that the Ministry of Environment would “respond to all the socio-economic concerns related to the road.” He assured them, “Everything will be taken into consideration. The pains will be mitigated.”

Members of the panel include Professor Oladapo Afolabi, Dr. Abass Suleiman, Prof. Rahman Bello, Professor Sangari Dalhatu, Engr. Aliyu Bello, Prof. Vincent Chukwu (representative of chairmen of Eti Osa LG and Ibeju Lekki), Engr. Dr. Isa Emoabino, Engr. Aliyu Ibrahim, and others.

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