Tinubu reroutes Lagos-Calabar project to save undersea cables, ancestral homes

The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, confirmed that the decision was made necessary following a presidential directive which will spare telecommunications companies, MTN submarine cables, and workstations in the Okun-Ajah community from demolition after a comprehensive assessment of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on local infrastructure and business activities.

During a stakeholder meeting in Lagos regarding compensation and the environmental impact of the coastal road project, Umahi informed community groups and traditional institutions, especially those from the Okun-Ajah community.

As quoted by Arise TV, Umahi said, “We have three critical infrastructures located in one spot. One is the 2Africa submarine cable that cuts across 33 countries, connecting about three billion people. That cable landed at Mopo, and where it landed, the West African Cable Systems (WACS) had already been located there about 17 years ago. 

“We have a mega IPP which is to provide power to the 2Africa cable and the WACS cable. The power plant is a 50-megawatt power plant expected to support this infrastructure. 

“The (new) corridor is passing right on the submarine cable and the other side is on the IPP. You cannot have the submarine cables without power. They will not function. The submarine cable is a critical national security infrastructure. If it is affected, everybody will be affected.”

Earlier, the Okun-Ajah community raised the alarm and urged the federal and Lagos State governments to halt an alleged illegal change to the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway route. This change threatens six villages with demolition and risks displacing three traditional kings within the community.

Minister Umahi emphasised the necessity of redesigning the route to preserve the 600-year heritage of the Okun-Ajah community. He noted that, out of compassion, the president aimed to protect the property and infrastructure in the Okun-Ajah area.

Umahi praised the president’s efforts to divert the alignment to save the communities from the demolition currently affecting indigenous areas in the state.

The minister stated that, according to the gazetted alignment and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) order, the old alignment would have required demolishing over 750 houses, while the new alignment marks 450 houses for demolition after a thorough project assessment in the Okun-Ajah area.

Umahi explained that the project’s approval followed legal procedures, including the review by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the consideration by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

He assured that the project met all certification requirements and complied with Environmental Impact Assessment Acts.

He clarified that the BPP issued a certificate of no objection to the Ministry of Works, which then presented it to the FEC for debate and approval.

Umahi reiterated that property removal along the route adheres to the rule of law, and only owners with valid titles will receive compensation.