Coastal Highway not responsible for Lagos flooding, lawmakers insist

Nigerian lawmakers have asserted that the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is not the cause of the recent flooding experienced in Lagos. During an inspection tour of the highway on Monday, Senate Committee on Works Chairman Allwell Onyesoh commended President Bola Tinubu and Minister of Works Sen. Dave Umahi for their prompt response to the flooding.

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This flooding of Lagos did not begin today; it dates back to the days of the white men, so what we are seeing today is not new.

Onyesoh stated that flooding in Lagos is not a new phenomenon, tracing its origins back to the colonial era. "This flooding of Lagos did not begin today; it dates back to the days of the white men, so what we are seeing today is not new," he said. He argued that even without the coastal road, water would still move inland from the ocean, suggesting the flooding is a natural occurrence exacerbated by geographical and weather patterns.

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Even where we are standing, we can see flood water moving. The water is moving from the ocean to this way, which means even without the coastal road, the water will still move this way.

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Works, Akin Alabi, echoed these sentiments, praising the president and minister for their timely interventions. He called for responsible journalism, urging media practitioners and social media influencers to verify reports before publication. "It is easy to say the cause of the flooding is the coastal road, but always consult experts before you make broad assumptions," Alabi advised.

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It is easy to say the cause of the flooding is the coastal road, but always consult experts before you make broad assumptions.

Senate Deputy Chief Whip Sen. Onyekachi Nwaebonyi also commended the leadership for their quick response. He emphasized that parliamentary observation indicates the coastal highway is not contributing to the flooding. Nwaebonyi advised residents to heed the advice of environmental experts and ensure drainage channels and waterways are not blocked. He suggested that controlling the flooding requires collaboration between relevant authorities and listening to environmental impact experts.

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We have seen, as a parliament, that the coastal highway is not in any way the cause of flooding in this part of Lagos, and going by history, flooding in Lagos is as old as the city itself.