Ex-agitator questions coastal highway re-routing

By Chancel Bomadi Sunday BOMADI — A Niger Delta ex-agitator and former Delta State House of Assembly candidate, Chief Kingsley Muturu, has called on the Federal Government to provide clear explanations for the proposed re-routing of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to link with the existing East-West Road. Muturu, who contested under the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the proposed adjustment by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, had raised concerns in the Niger Delta, stressing the need for transparency regarding the reasons for the decision and its technical justification.

Speaking with journalists over the weekend, the former agitator and peace ambassador said the government should explain the proposed changes, particularly in view of the survey plans and engineering designs already developed for the project. He argued that the region deserved clear information about the original highway alignment, the proposed adjustments and how the project would connect with the existing East-West Road.

Muturu questioned whether the Niger Delta’s difficult terrain should pose an obstacle to the construction of major transport infrastructure, noting that the region had long supported petroleum exploration and transportation activities. “The Federal Government has demonstrated its capacity to construct major bridges and transport infrastructure across lagoons, rivers and other challenging waterways beyond the Niger Delta, which generates the nation’s wealth,” he said.

“Why should the same terrain, which can be assessed and engineered for petroleum operations, automatically become an insurmountable obstacle to road construction?” He called for transparency and responsible leadership in decisions concerning the highway, warning against using the region’s geographical challenges as a reason to limit infrastructure development.

Muturu noted that the oil industry had developed the technical capacity to explore, drill, install pipelines and transport crude oil across difficult terrain. He urged political leaders, traditional rulers and community stakeholders in the Niger Delta to demand fair treatment and equitable infrastructure development. The former lawmaker, however, acknowledged that oil exploration and road construction involved different engineering processes, technical requirements and environmental considerations.

“Our point is straightforward: if the terrain can be studied and suitable engineering solutions devised for oil exploration and transportation, then the feasibility of roads, bridges and other essential infrastructure should likewise be evaluated through thorough technical investigations,” he said. “The Niger Delta deserves engineering solutions, not assumptions that its geography renders development impractical.” He maintained that a project of national significance such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway should be guided by credible technical evidence, transparent decision-making and meaningful engagement with communities that could be affected by changes to its alignment.

Muturu urged President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Ministry of Works to ensure that decisions on the project were based on sound engineering principles, economic considerations, environmental protection and fairness to affected communities.