Drama on Arise TV as Umahi tells anchor ‘let me educate you’
A brief exchange unfolded on Arise Television on Friday during an interview with Minister of Works David Umahi, highlighting issues related to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
The discussion, led by anchor Ojy Okpe, focused on concerns from residents regarding flooding associated with the highway project. Umahi interjected, stating that many of those commenting on the project do not fully grasp the engineering principles involved.
“Let me educate you, Ojy Okpe. The coastal highway is not flooded and will never get flooded,” Umahi asserted. He explained that numerous homes along the corridor were constructed approximately 50 years ago, prior to widespread awareness of climate change. The minister detailed that the highway was intentionally raised above flood levels to protect residential areas, given the proximity of the ocean and lagoon.
“The houses were built below the flood level. When we conducted our study, we determined the need to elevate the coastal highway, and that is what has been achieved,” he stated.
Umahi further emphasized that the highway includes about ten drainage channels and several culverts designed to direct water to the lagoon, rejecting claims that the project contributes to flooding. He noted that flooding in the region predates the construction of the coastal highway.
“Before the construction of the coastal highway, was there flooding within that area? The answer is yes. The coastal highway has nothing to do with flooding,” he concluded.
