On Monday, works minister Dave Umahi directed the deployment of youths to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as a task force to restore sanity to the road. The deployment is aimed at tackling vandalism and misuse of the road.

Mr Umahi gave the directive during an inspection tour of the coastal highway, accompanied by some members of the National Assembly and other stakeholders.

“Now, I direct the controller, Lagos, and I am coming back in the next seven days. We have directed that 40 young men and women be deployed to this road.

“Buy 40 machines, motorcycles. Goats and cows are eating up the trees, people are cutting through the metals, people are cutting through the block work, and there is hawking on the road,” the minister said.

Mr Umahi also noted that commercial motorcyclists were plying the road. He said that efforts must be intensified to prevent abuse of the highway.

“It is going to be a fight, and the controller, Lagos, has to lead this fight by employing 40 people. Twenty will work in the night, and the other 20 will walk in the day,” he explained.

The minister directed that no commercial motorcyclist should ply the road, and no vehicle should park or load on it. He also directed that no cow or sheep should be seen on the road, adding that refuse should not be dumped on the highway. Mr Umahi also prohibited loitering on the coastal road.

On the provision of service lanes on the highway, Mr Umahi said it was not the responsibility of the federal government.

“It is the responsibility of the Lagos state government because the lanes would lead to estates and will also help to decongest floods, but the president said, ‘Come and look at it and let me know the problems,’” stated the minister.

Regarding the environmental impact assessment, the minister said it was completed before the project commenced.

“Don’t forget that this EIA was subjected to international scrutiny, and after the publication, it was done,” he said.

(NAN)