Owners of properties demolished to give the right of way to the Lagos-Calabar Coaster Highway are to get N2.75 billion compensation from the Federal Government, Works Minister Dave Umahi said yesterday.
The minister, who unveiled the new design routes for the 700 kilometre project in Lagos, chided former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi for ‘inciting’ the people of the Southeast against the government over the project.
He explained how the affected property owners would be compensated, warning that the former Anambra State governor would not be in a position to fight for the ill-informed people he was inciting after getting them into trouble.
But, controversy has trailed the project, following the demolition of Landmark Beach Resort, valued at $200 million, to create a right of way for the project which is estimated to cost the federal government N15 trillion.
After the demolition, Paul Onwuanibe, Group Chief Executive Officer of Landmark, complained that about 70 percent of the beach was destroyed by government’s bulldozer. He describing the demolition as insensitive.
Obi criticised the Federal Government for going ahead with the project, saying that it is in defiance of public outcry.
He said the Federal Government had embarked on a job-losing project at a time of rampant unemployment.
Obi said it was not too late to discontinue the project, saying that livelihoods had been wiped away, lifetime investments are wasted, and jobs are disappearing as a result of the demolition.
