The Federal Government has approved the payment of N2.57 billion as compensation to property owners affected by the ongoing construction of the Lagos-Calabar Highway.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, made this announcement on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, during a stakeholders meeting in Lagos.
Umahi revealed that the payment has been approved and property owners will start receiving their compensation from May 1. He also promised that more compensation is expected to be paid in the coming days.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project spans nine states and has two spurs leading to the Northern States. The first phase of the project, awarded to Hitech Construction Company Ltd, covers 47.47 kilometers of dual carriageway and will be constructed with concrete pavement.
However, the project has generated controversy over its cost, completion possibilities, and the destruction of properties and businesses along its right-of-way.
Recently, the demolition of Landmark Beach Resort, valued at $200 million, sparked heated debate. The Group CEO, Paul Onwuanibe, alleged that about 70% of the beach was destroyed by government bulldozers, describing the action as “insensitive.”
Despite the controversy, the Federal Government has begun demolition of properties affected by the right-of-way, and compensation payments are now underway.
