President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed that the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway project be redesigned to pass through Ogoni land in Rivers State.
The Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, disclosed this during a high-powered delegation visit to Rivers State led by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the delegation to Governor Siminalayi Fubara at the Government House in Port Harcourt, Umahi said the President’s directive was part of efforts to ensure inclusiveness and address longstanding development concerns in the Niger Delta region.
According to him, the Federal Ministry of Works would work closely with the Rivers State Government to engage relevant stakeholders and commence the construction process in line with the new alignment.
Umahi noted that the coastal highway project is a strategic national infrastructure aimed at boosting economic activities, improving connectivity, and opening up coastal communities across the southern corridor of the country.
He assured that environmental and security considerations would be adequately addressed, especially given the sensitive nature of the Ogoni environment.
The delegation, led by the NSA, also included the Minister of Environment, Hon. Balarabe Abbas Lawal, underscoring the Federal Government’s commitment to balancing infrastructure development with environmental sustainability and peacebuilding in the region.
Governor Fubara welcomed the delegation and expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for the decision, describing it as a significant step towards inclusive development and lasting peace in Ogoni land and Rivers State at large.
