FG threatens coastal road closure over safety concerns

The Federal Government has threatened to shut down the Lagos section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway within two weeks if motorists and other road users fail to comply with safety measures and other directives to curb violations on the highway.

The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Olufemi Dare, issued the warning on Monday during a press briefing on the persistent safety and security challenges on the highway.

Dare said the Minister of Works, David Umahi, had directed the ministry to return and shut the road if there was no significant improvement within two weeks.

“In another two weeks, if there’s no improvement, His Excellency has directed that we are coming back to shut down the road,” he said.

He said the government could no longer tolerate overspeeding, illegal parking by trucks and articulated vehicles, illegal U-turns, motorcycles and tricycles, roadside trading and other activities that could endanger road users and damage infrastructure.

According to him, the Lagos section of the coastal highway comprises two sections measuring 47.474km and 56km, for a total of about 103km within the state.

Dare noted that construction was still ongoing, particularly on the bridges, with 10 major bridges planned for each of the two sections.

“Ordinarily, we ought not to have opened it until all the bridges are completed,” he added.

He expressed concern that motorists were driving at speeds as high as 120km/h on sections where construction activities were ongoing, despite the 30km/h speed limit displayed along the highway.

“We have said your speed on the coastal road must not be more than 30km/h. It is well written everywhere. But people will come here and go at 100km/h . This cannot continue,” Dare emphasised.

The controller said the authorities had recorded loss of life on the highway, stressing that motorists must adhere to the speed limit.

“Lives are being lost on the coastal road. Almost every other day,” he said.

Dare disclosed that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, had commenced increased police deployment along the highway after meetings with Umahi.

He warned that trucks and articulated vehicles parked on the highway would be towed away, while illegal U-turns would be removed and offenders prosecuted.

He also said motorcycles, tricycles and other similar vehicles had been banned from the coastal highway, disclosing that more than 100 Okada riders were arrested on the road the previous week.

Beyond traffic violations, Dare raised concerns over the vandalisation of infrastructure along the highway.

He disclosed that about five kilometres of clear view fencing had been removed, while concrete drainage covers covering about 18km had also been vandalised and taken away.

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“For the clear-field fence, the report I got, we have not less than five kilometres of that that has been removed. And for Maruwa covers, we have not less than 18 kilometres of the covers that were packed away,” he said.

Dare mentioned that the perpetrators often operated at night despite police patrols, adding that directional signs and other installations had also been vandalised. He disclosed that the ministry was considering replacing the clear-view fencing with block walls in areas where vandalism was persistent.

“You install it today, in less than one week it’s gone. It means we have to change the strategy,” he said.

The controller also announced a crackdown on illegal settlements, hawking and animal grazing along the highway. He said no fewer than 10 illegal settlements had been identified and would be removed, while CCTV cameras were being considered to strengthen surveillance.

The government has also approved 40 coastal guards for the first section of the highway, with members expected to be nominated by communities along the route and work with the police.

Dare said the government would complete the recruitment and deployment of the guards within two weeks.

Meanwhile, he warned truck operators using the Gypsy Port area as a parking space that the government would deploy a joint task force to clear the vehicles this week.

He said the ministry had already met with operators in the area and warned them against turning the road into a permanent parking facility. “We don’t want that place to be turned into another apartment. We are going there this week with the task force and flush all those trucks away,” he said.

Dare said the road itself was 100 percent completed in the first section, while bridge construction remained ongoing.

He added that the project was still within its three-year contract period and expressed confidence that the outstanding works would be completed within schedule.

The controller urged Lagos residents, motorists and other highway users to comply with the new directives, warning that the government would intensify enforcement.

“It’s not going to be business as usual,” he said.

In January, the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, told Channels TV that the Federal Government might shut down the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway if safety issues in the area were not addressed.

He stated that the death of a construction worker occurred at Section One of the highway.

He disclosed the ministry had earlier considered closing the road in December but was directed by President Bola Tinubu to keep it open to ease traffic flow.

“We were tempted to close the coastal highway in December, but the president directed that we should not,” Umahi said.