Minister of Works David Umahi had a tense exchange with Arise Television anchor Ojy Okpe during a live interview on Friday while defending the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project against concerns about flooding.
The exchange occurred when Okpe questioned the minister about complaints that the ongoing coastal highway construction could worsen flooding in communities along its route.
Responding to the concerns, Umahi interrupted the anchor, saying, “Let me educate you, Ojy Okpe,” before insisting that the project had been designed to withstand flooding.
“The coastal highway is not flooded and will never get flooded,” the minister declared, defending the road’s elevation and drainage infrastructure.
Umahi maintained that the engineering design of the project took environmental challenges into account and dismissed suggestions that the highway would become a source of flooding for surrounding communities.
The coastal highway, one of the Federal Government’s major infrastructure projects, has attracted public debate over its construction, environmental impact, cost and potential effects on coastal communities.
The interview exchange has since drawn attention online, with viewers discussing the minister’s response to the presenter’s questions and the broader concerns surrounding the project.
The flooding concerns and the minister’s assurances come amid continued scrutiny of the highway’s construction and its implications for communities along the Lagos-Calabar corridor.
