The Federal Government’s proposal to implement an average toll fee of N3,000 at each gate along the soon-to-be-completed Lagos-Calabar coastal road has sparked public dismay.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, during a television appearance on Channels Television.
The proposed fee has been met with opposition from various quarters, including PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Labour Party (LP), Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), and several transport operators.
Umahi said, “Let me leave out the infrastructure along the corridor. Let me just concentrate on the tolls and I put 50,000 vehicles as an average passage on these toll points per day,” Umahi said on the breakfast show.
“I put N3,000 as an average cost. N3,000 because the cars could be like N1,500, and the big trucks could be like N5,000. “So, we put an average. In 15 years, you make back the money,” he said, dismissing calls that the cost budgeted for the road was high.
“At every point of tolling, we also have toll station where we have a kind of relief activities — restaurants, filling stations, parking lots, and so on and so forth. So, people will now have confidence. In these sections, we intend to put CCTV all through,”
Addressing concerns about the Landmark Beach Resort, Umahi assured that the property would not be demolished for the coastal road project, and no jobs would be lost.
He clarified that the government had reduced the required land corridor by 50 meters, ensuring the resort’s facilities would remain unaffected.
“I was at Landmark, yesterday (Wednesday), to see what was going on. Despite claims that 12,000 jobs will be lost, I told Landmark that no jobs will be lost by what we’re doing. What could be lost is the shoreline and the people that go to play at the shoreline. His facilities will be intact because we reduced the corridor by 50 metres.
“I saw that there’s no permanent structure other than a few shanties along the shoreline that are affected. I told him that no job will be lost, and he agreed with me.”
The minister also stated that the Federal Government holds the rights to the shoreline, as per the Waterways Act and a recent Supreme Court judgment.
“Who owns the land is not supposed to be my problem but the Federal Government by the Waterways Act and the recent Supreme Court judgement, gave the right of ownership of the shoreline to FG, 250 metres from the point of the shoreline, which means it belongs to FG.
“However, we’re interested here because it’s an investment, and we’re happy with it. We are taking 50 metres of that shoreline, and it’s irrevocable. I also told him if he’s interested in the waterways, he should create one on top.”
The Lagos State Government had previously issued a demolition notice to the Landmark Beach Resort, citing obstruction to the coastal road’s planned route.
The resort’s proprietor, Paul Onwuanibe, expressed his concerns and intention to seek compensation, highlighting the resort’s significant economic contributions and employment provision.
In response to concerns about property rights, the Minister of Works confirmed that the government would compensate owners whose properties are within the project’s Right of Way.
