PTV News Media: Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway: Ijaw Monitoring Group Applauds President Tinubu

By Perekeme Odon

Lagos: It was excitement galore and just more than a gathering as residents and stakeholders from the oil-rich Niger Delta region, based in Lagos and the South West of Nigeria, emphatically celebrated and conveyed profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for flagging off the 700-kilometre Lagos-Calabar coastal road project.

Comrade Joseph Evah

Concern Niger Delta leaders led by the prominent Niger Delta activist, Coordinator of the Ijaw Monitoring Group (IMG), and former publicity secretary of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Comrade Joseph Evah, made strong statements and delivered impactful messages on May 29, 2024, during the Democracy Day celebration at the Classique Events Place, No. 7A, Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun Road, Ikeja, Lagos State.

The Democracy Day celebration highlighted the tangible progress in Nigerian democracy. It unequivocally recognised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his commendable strides within just one year. It expressed sincere appreciation for the award and subsequent launch of the 700-km Lagos-Calabar coastal highway.

Chief Benjamin Nanaghan

Comrade Joseph Evah, the convener, emphatically applauded President Tinubu for commencing the coastal highway project and emphasised the anticipated benefits to the South West and South regions. "We wholeheartedly celebrate the inauguration of the Lagos-Calabar highway, and we firmly believe in its materialization. We are fully committed to the project and will actively bolster the president in actualizing it from Calabar to Lagos. This coastal highway project will undeniably be advantageous to Nigeria and the Niger Delta States."

Comrade Evah has advocated for the Federal Government of Nigeria to initiate the construction work simultaneously from both the Calabar and Lagos ends. Additionally, he recommended that the president adopt the approach employed by Babangida in the construction of the Third Mainland Bridge. In his words, "We want to urge Mr. President to adopt the method Babangida used in constructing the Third Mainland Bridge by commencing work from both the Lagos Island and Mainland ends concurrently to expedite the conclusion. The project has commenced in Lagos, and we seek similar progress in Calabar for the construction efforts to converge in the middle."

Prof D. D Moro

Comrade Evah demanded that the federal government expedite work on the East-West road, emphasising its paramount importance as the most significant road infrastructure in the entire Niger Delta region. “We are still agitating for the East-West road, which is the busiest road in the country, due to the tankers and trucks that are lifting crude oil and gas daily. We hope they will not abandon it.”

Renowned scholar and former Lagos State University lecturer, who represented the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Professor D.D. Moro, said, “President Ahmed Tinubu has taken the issue of the Niger Delta and its people relatively more seriously. We will be very grateful if the road's environmental fact assessment is done or made accessible to us to mitigate the effect of our unique ecosystem.”

Chairman of the occasion NADECO chieftain, Comrade Ayodele Adewale, emphatically stressed the necessity of prioritising the rail component of the road by both the federal and state governments, underscoring its multidimensional impact.

Comrade Ayodele Adewale

In addition to expressing gratitude to President Tinubu, Adewale forcefully emphasised the critical role of road and rail infrastructures in driving economic growth in the Niger Delta. He highlighted the detrimental impact of the limited road network on economic activities in the region. “The limited roads in the Niger Delta do not allow us to take advantage of a lot of things, especially in commerce. One of the most cogent infrastructures is road and rail. Since the Niger Delta is the torch of the country economically, without viable infrastructures, it makes it a bit crawlable for us to up our game.” Adewale stated.

Apart from celebrating and thanking President Tinubu, the Democracy Day Celebration also encompassed a range of activities, including free medical outreach, the provision of cash gifts, and the distribution of food items to over 2000 Niger Delta indigenes, including persons with disabilities (PWD).