Works minister David Umahi, on Sunday, praised Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for supporting President Bola Tinubu’s infrastructure development in Lagos.

Mr Umahi urged Mr Sanwo-Olu’s administration to provide more support as the federal government would begin construction of the service lane of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

He spoke at a stakeholder engagement on the coastal highway and some other projects in the state.

The decision to construct service lanes and secondary drainage channels on Sections 1 and 2 of the highway project was prompted by recent heavy rainfalls and flooding experienced in Lagos.

Mr Umahi said, “You have to bring money, Governor, to do the service lanes, and also to do the drainage channels. We must join hands to solve this problem for the sake of our people.” 

The minister explained that Lot 1 of the coastal highway had been completed and Lot 2, over 80 per cent done.

“We have done over 30 per cent of the job in Calabar and Akwa Ibom. We have started the largest section, 180km by two,” added Mr Umahi.

He gave the assurance that the highway project would be completed in time.

“We want everybody on this corridor, the entire Nigerians that are benefitting and will benefit from this coastal highway construction to continue to pray for and support the president,” Mr Umahi added.

Mr Umahi expressed dissatisfaction at the attitude of unpatriotic Nigerians vandalising national assets.

“It is very disheartening. The effort they are putting into destroying national assets, if they put it into labour in all construction sites of state governments and the federal government, they will make more money,” the minister explained. “It is devilish, wicked, and unacceptable. So, we have to come together to protect our national assets. When these roads are built under the president, they will last for a hundred years, but when the roads are excavated and removed, we will be back to square one.” 

(NAN)