FG Hires Seven SANs To Defend Litigations Arising From N15tn Calabar-Coastal High Way
The Minister of Works David Umahi has said that the federal government has hired seven Seniour Advocates (SAN) to defend the government from a suit filed by aggrieved owners of properties affected by the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
Umahi disclosed this on Sunday at the Lagos-Calabar Coastal High Wat Stakeholders Meeting monitored by THE WHISTLER.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a 700 kilometer project under development that is planned to run from Victoria Island, Lagos to Calabar, Cross River State.
The first phase of the project was awarded to Hitech Construction Company Ltd.
In May last year, Umahi disclosed that over 750 houses on the path of the highway had been marked for demolition.
The property owners had argued that the government compensation did not match their investments.
Umahi said at the meeting that for the management of the properties, his ministry has done its best to listen to God, the president and the people.
Umahi said, “And so we just have only one building standing on the way. And I decided to come by myself to honor the owner of the building. I’ve had a personal meeting with him, just like I did with some of you, we resolved amicably.
“And so, but what I directed is that let work continue and stop at his fence. Then work will also continue at the other side of his fence. So his house is standing at the middle of the road.
“So we have discussed, and I believe strongly that we understood ourselves. And that is the only property.”
Umahi said he is aware of litigation by aggrieved property owners.
He said, “We are aware that some people took us to court. But the beauty of democracy is that the court will interpret the instrument we use in doing what we did.
“And we will be very obedient to court, you know, decisions on it. But we have seven SAN to defend us. Because we believe that we’ve done the right thing.”
The minister said the section two of the project is also confronted with the Lekki Free Zone.
The minister explained, “And so we have the Dangote refinery. We have to pass in front of it. So we have come to design 80 meter span bridge over that section. So that here we have seamless truck movement without having any obstruction.
“We’ve met with the Lagos Free Zone. We’ve met with the Lekki Free Zone. We’ve had discussion with them on Friday. And they will resolve all their problems.
“It’s going to cost us a little more because we are putting flyovers, you know, over the conflict points.”
FG Hires Seven SANs To Defend Litigations Arising From N15tn Calabar-Coastal High Way is first published on The Whistler Newspaper