The Federal Government has dismissed reports suggesting that President Bola Tinubu directed the realignment or discontinuation of the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in favour of the East-West Road, insisting that the original project remains intact.
In a clarification issued by the Federal Ministry of Works, the government explained that the proposed reconstruction of 400 kilometres of the East-West Road, stretching from Edo to Cross River State, is an additional project that will run alongside the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway rather than replace any part of it.
The clarification was contained in a statement signed by the Director of Highway Bridges and Design at the ministry, Engr Musa Saidu, on the directive of the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi.
According to the statement, Tinubu approved an additional route through Wukari and Langtang, extending the Fourth Legacy Highway from approximately 700 kilometres to 1,100 kilometres.
It explained that the East-West Road reconstruction would similarly complement the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway without altering its original alignment.
The ministry insisted that all sections of the Federal Government’s legacy road projects were progressing as proposed and that the additional routes would neither change the original designs nor undermine their execution.
“All sections of the Legacy Projects are ongoing as proposed and the additional projects will not affect the performances of the original alignment nor will it change it,” the statement said.
The ministry urged Nigerians to disregard reports suggesting that the coastal highway had been abandoned or its alignment altered, reaffirming the government’s commitment to delivering the infrastructure projects as planned.