The minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has blamed blocked drainage channels, indiscriminate refuse dumping, poor environmental practices and climate change for the persistent flooding in Lagos, insisting that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is not responsible for the ocean surge and flooding affecting parts of the state.
Instead, the minister said the multi-trillion-naira coastal highway was specifically designed to improve drainage and channel floodwaters from adjoining communities safely into the Atlantic Ocean.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ consultative meeting attended by concerned landlords, members of the National Assembly, officials of the Federal Ministry of Environment, representatives of the Lagos State government and journalists, Umahi warned that the federal government would begin arresting and prosecuting anyone found obstructing drainage infrastructure.
“We are directing that anyone found using concrete or any material to block drainage channels should be arrested and prosecuted,” he said.
While noting that previous offenders would be pardoned, the minister stressed that the government would no longer tolerate actions that undermine public infrastructure and worsen flooding.
He urged residents living around drainage channels, culverts and manholes to keep them free of refuse and other obstructions, describing flood prevention as a shared responsibility.
According to Umahi, the drainage system along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway was engineered to intercept runoff from surrounding communities and discharge it into the ocean.
“You can see that the culverts along this highway were constructed to collect water from surrounding communities and discharge it into the ocean,” he said.
The minister, however, lamented that many residents had continued to dump refuse into drainage channels and manholes, while livestock had destroyed trees planted along the corridor to protect the coastline.
“People cannot contribute to these problems and then turn around to blame President Bola Tinubu or the Ministry of Works. We all have a responsibility to protect lives and property,” he added.
Umahi also attributed Lagos’ recurring floods to its geographical characteristics, noting that the state is a low-lying coastal city with more than 40 per cent of its landmass covered by water. He added that climate change had further intensified flooding nationwide.
While governments must continue investing in flood-control infrastructure, he said residents also have a duty to protect public assets.
Clarifying concerns over accessibility, the minister explained that the coastal highway was designed with service lanes on both sides, while designated entry and exit points would ensure smooth traffic flow without compromising the integrity of the expressway.
He reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to delivering the project according to specification, declaring that he was ready to be held accountable if it failed to meet expectations.
“If we fail, hold me accountable, not the President,” he said.
Highlighting the broader economic impact of the project, Umahi described the coastal highway as a strategic investment that would create jobs, stimulate commerce and strengthen national infrastructure.
He said the project’s concrete drainage systems, solar-powered streetlights and environmental improvements would also enhance climate resilience and support carbon credit opportunities.
The minister disclosed that the Tinubu administration inherited 2,068 ongoing infrastructure projects but had continued to provide funding to ensure their completion.
He also commended the Lagos State Government for its support, revealing that discussions were ongoing to acquire additional land along the corridor for security facilities, CCTV installations, parking areas, rest stations, tourism hubs, industrial parks and housing estates stretching from Lagos to Calabar.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government acknowledged that some of the drainage challenges observed along the project corridor could have been mitigated earlier if all recommendations contained in the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) had been implemented from the outset.
A representative of the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment said the proposed slip roads, major drainage channels and planned connections between the highway’s drainage infrastructure and the state’s existing drainage network would significantly improve flood management.
The official added that the state had identified the required connection points and shared the technical details with relevant authorities.
According to the official, Lagos has intensified waste evacuation operations and drainage maintenance across affected areas, with many of the identified drainage issues expected to be resolved within the next two to three weeks.
