Concerns have been raised on social media over the lack of drainage infrastructure along sections of the Lagos-Calabar coastal road currently under construction.
An X user, @omoelerinjare, posted a video highlighting the issue near Charterhouse School on Ogombo Road, Ajah, urging the Minister of Works to address the problem. Other users echoed his worries, noting that proper drainage is essential given Nigeria’s weather patterns and the swampy terrain along the route.
Architect and infrastructure consultant Ola Olaniyan described the absence of drainage as a “cosmetic approach” to public works, stressing that stormwater channels should be built before completing the road’s carriageway. He warned of potential erosion and damage to the road’s foundation if this step is overlooked.
However, Jeremiah Akinsele, CEO of Magnificent Choice Services Project and Engineering Ltd, assured that drainage works would likely be completed before the road’s final delivery, given the project’s scale. Similarly, Stephen Eke of Fajiri Construction Limited urged authorities to integrate drainage and flood control measures, drawing lessons from urban planning successes in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
In response, Orji Uchenna Orji, Special Adviser (Media) to the Minister of Works, stated that the road remains a work in progress and that sequencing pavement works before drainage can be part of the standard construction process.
