*Alignment grossly violates engineering ethics, Adekoya says
*Nigerians in diaspora do not trust Nigerian system, Dr. Zo laments
Stakeholders, community leaders, Nigerians in diaspora, and landowners have called on President Bola Tinubu to investigate the diversion on chanage 17-18, vis-a-vis 2006 gazetted alignment on the Lagos-Calabar coastal road and bring anyone found culpable to book.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road was regulated originally by the 2006 gazette which was meant to be along Lekki-Epe express road but it was claimed that the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi changed the Coastal Road alignment to avoid the shoreline where both MTN and two Africa cables are situated, but stakeholders faulted the claim, that the cables are not located within chanage 16-18 corridor (within Okun-Ajah) rather they are located at Okun-Mopo which is 7 kilometers away from Okun-Ajah where business including Winhomes Global Service Estate, an 18 hectares land is situated.
Managing director, Winhomes Global Services Limited, Stellar Okengeu who led the call in Victoria Island, Lagos also asked the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi to retract his statement where he referred to her as his southeast sister involved in land grabbing.
She said: “I am fully in support of the Lagos-Calabar coastal road project because of the numerous economic and socio-cultural benefits it would bring to Lagos State, the country, Nigerians in the diaspora and others.
“On two different occasions, the minister of works had in a public stakeholders meeting held at Eko Hotel in Lagos on April 11 and May 23, 2024 that he shall revert to the 2006 original gazetted Lagos-Calabar Coastal road alignment at Okun-Ajah area of Lagos state. How come he suddenly in June 2024 diverted to a new alignment? We place it on record in the interest of justice, fairness, and equity that you cannot approbate and at the same time reprobate.
She added: “Winhomes Global Services Limited has a vast property that has all relevant documents ranging from Certificate of Occupancy, Governors Consent, Coastal Road right of Way Clearance amongst other legal documents and we have been enjoying the good developmental relationship with the Okun-Ajah community where my company is.
“The initiative to create Winhomes as an investment portal/scheme for diaspora investment was to repatriate over $250m in foreign direct investment and create jobs for over 5000 young Nigerians. My company is over 700 meters away from the shoreline which makes it legal and apt.
“On the allegation of the minister referring to me as an Igbo land grabber, this statement is tribalistic in nature, derogatory, disrespectful, and unfounded as it does not conform with any law within Nigeria.
“In the same vein, on the allegation of jeopardising the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project, I wish to ask why will I work against the party I support in all ramifications? All we are appealing to the President is to mandate the Ministry of works to revert to the 2006 gazetted alignment earmarked for the project because there is no cable hub there, except for the illegal encroachers.
“To this extent, we are calling on the president and the national assembly to investigate the subject matter of the illegal diversion of the Lagos-Calabar coastal road project.
Also speaking, Femi Adekoya, said the action of the minister of works has undermined and negate the importance of the environmental impact and social assessment of the diverted alignment of chanage 17 to 18 of the Okun-Ajah axis away from the original gazetted alignment of 2006.
Adekoya, an engineer said: “In view of the technical aspect of the EIA and ESIA, the engineering aspect of the EIA was not properly conducted thereby resulting to inadequate environmental impact assessment.
“The sudden diversion of the road alignment around Okun-Ajah grossly violates engineering ethics and fails to address shoreline erosion and to protect the community members who will be faced by the impact of the erosion caused by the diversion.
“The elevation of the road in this diverted area of Okun-Ajah is now higher than the area elevation thereby plunging this communities into incessant flooding of the entire landscape area. Environmental degradation without a thorough assessment and mitigation planning for the diversion, the irreversible damage it will cause to the critical habitat, ecosystem and the community which could be avoided by taking the path of the original gazetted alignment of 2006.
A widow whose land is being affected, Amaka chukwu lamented that she borrowed money to buy her land which is yet to complete the payment.
“I am a retired teacher, no one can employ me again and this means I will leave debt of legacy for my children.
Canadian-based Nigerian doctor, Arinze Onwumelu, known popularly as Dr Zo, speaking on the situation, said: “We in diaspora want to invest but we don’t trust the Nigerian system. We have experience people that think right and we can change things.
“I have come to a stage in my life where I want to come home, invest and make things happen in Nigeria. Nigeria is my only home. A lot of us want to come home but Nigeria has to be ready for us.
