President Bola Tinubu has issued a stern warning to property developers and landowners against building on federal infrastructure corridors without authorization.
Speaking at the commissioning of Phase 1, Section 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Tinubu emphasized that his administration will not pay compensation for buildings or developments that violate federal right-of-way regulations.
He said anyone who builds illegally will bear the consequences and urged developers, traditional leaders, and local authorities to respect existing urban development laws.
He stressed that illegal construction not only threatens the integrity of national infrastructure but also endangers lives and undermines economic growth.
President Tinubu called on Nigerians to treat public infrastructure as a shared national asset, emphasizing that roads, bridges, and highways must be preserved and maintained through collective responsibility.
He appealed to communities along the coastal highway corridor to guard the infrastructure from vandalism, illegal dumping, and unauthorized modifications.
The president recalled the challenges faced during the project’s initiation, when critics dismissed it as impossible, but his administration stood firm and used science, engineering, and courage to overcome the obstacles.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who was present at the ceremony, urged serving governors to be intentional and patriotic in their succession planning, warning them against handing over power to unprepared successors.
In his own remark, Minister of Works Dave Umahi praised President Tinubu for his infrastructure agenda and requested that Dangote and BUA cement companies remit 2% of their sales to the Ministry as a reward for increasing their sales.
Umahi disclosed that N18bn had been paid as compensation for Section one of the project.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, which will eventually span 750km, is designed as a six-lane carriageway within a 60-meter corridor.
The project is expected to boost economic growth, improve connectivity, and enhance the quality of life for communities along the corridor.
(Editor: Okechukwu Eze)
