Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has condemned acts of vandalism along the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and warned that perpetrators will be prosecuted.
The minister issued the warning during an inspection of the project in Lagos, where he addressed concerns over the cutting of metal fences, the opening of manholes and the dumping of refuse on the carriageway.
He expressed appreciation to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and the Inspector-General of Police for deploying patrol vehicles to safeguard the project corridor.
Umahi added that the Federal Ministry of Works would provide fuel and allowances to support and strengthen patrol operations along the route.
“Anyone caught vandalising government property should be charged to court immediately,” he said.
“We have a seven-man Senior Advocate of Nigeria team that will handle any litigation concerning this project.”
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Umahi described the vandalism of metal fences and the opening of manholes for refuse dumping on the highway as unacceptable, stressing that such actions undermine national development efforts.
He disclosed that temporary measures would be introduced to seal the manholes and prevent unauthorised access. The minister further noted that flooding recorded on some sections of the road was caused by refuse dumped into the drainage system.
Appealing to residents to take ownership of the project, he urged them to protect public infrastructure from damage and abuse.
“We are doing everything possible to deliver quality work. We may not be perfect, but we are giving our best engineering effort on this project,” he said.
Umahi also called on Nigerians to support President Bola Tinubu, stating that the administration remained committed to rebuilding the country and expanding critical infrastructure.
According to him, key economic indicators point to steady progress. He cited the stability of the naira, foreign reserves of about 49 billion dollars and a reduction in inflation to about 15 per cent as signs of economic recovery.
The minister urged citizens to remain united and continue supporting ongoing efforts to develop critical infrastructure across the country.
NAN