Minister of Works, David Umahi, has attributed the flooding experienced along sections of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to the failure to implement Lagos State’s flood management master plan and the indiscriminate dumping of refuse by residents.
Speaking during an inspection of Section Three of the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway on Sunday, Umahi said President Bola Tinubu had directed the Federal Ministry of Works to conduct a technical assessment of the coastal highway and surrounding areas following public concerns over flooding.
He maintained that the flooding was not caused by the highway project, stressing that existing drainage and lagoon channels identified in the state’s master plan had not been fully developed.
The minister also condemned the practice of dumping waste into drainage channels, describing it as a major contributor to flooding across Lagos.
Umahi urged residents to embrace responsible environmental practices, saying government efforts alone would not solve the problem without public cooperation.
He also commended Hitech Construction Company Limited for the pace of work on the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway and praised President Tinubu’s commitment to infrastructure development.