The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to preserve the original route of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway through Ondo State and the Escravos–Ogheye–Ugborodo corridor in Delta State.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Thomas Ereyitomi, who represents Warri North, Warri South and Warri West Federal Constituency in Delta State, during Wednesday’s plenary.
The lawmakers’ position comes after the Minister of Works, David Umahi, announced plans to redirect the highway from Ondo State through the existing East-West Road into Edo State.
Umahi had explained that flooding, particularly around the Ughelli axis of Delta State, informed the decision, which he said would also eliminate the need to construct a new road alignment along the affected corridor.
Moving the motion, Ereyitomi warned that the proposed change could disrupt the project’s original connectivity objectives and exclude coastal communities from its anticipated economic gains.
He noted that the alternative route would bypass several riverine communities in Delta State, particularly the Ogheye–Orere–Ugborodo–Escravos corridor, which hosts the Chevron tank farm, the Escravos gas-to-liquids (EGTL) plant and other critical oil and gas facilities.
According to him, these communities accommodate strategic infrastructure, including domestic flow stations, that contributes to crude oil exports, foreign exchange earnings, energy supply and national economic growth.
Ereyitomi argued that maintaining the original route would improve access to these economic centres, ease the transportation of workers, equipment and commercial goods, and encourage the development of connecting roads and supporting infrastructure.
He also called for a comprehensive assessment of the financial and technical implications of alternative routes.
“Any assessment of alternative alignments should consider the full costs of construction, including additional road distance, bridges, ground improvement, environmental mitigation, compensation, flood resilience, and long-term maintenance, while recognising that specialised engineering solutions, including soil stabilisation, geosynthetics, piled foundations, reinforced embankments, and elevated viaducts, may offer potential options for addressing difficult terrain, subject to site-specific technical and environmental assessments,” he said.
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Contributing to the debate, Awaji-Inombek Abiante, a lawmaker from Rivers State, opposed the proposed route adjustment, warning that it could prevent coastal communities from benefiting from the highway project.
Abiante questioned whether difficult terrain would also be considered sufficient grounds to avoid the same areas if the government were seeking to extract crude oil there.
He called for Umahi to appear before the House to explain the rationale behind the decision, adding that his constituency had not received an environmental impact assessment for the project.
The Rivers lawmaker also expressed reservations about whether the House Committee on Works would “adequately” investigate the matter.
However, the presiding officer, Benjamin Kalu, interrupted him and asked him to withdraw his remark questioning the committee’s competence.
Abiante subsequently clarified that his concern was for the committee to protect the interests of affected communities and ensure its recommendations reflected a clear understanding of the reasons for the proposed realignment.
Meanwhile, Mark Esset, a lawmaker from Akwa Ibom State, urged the Ministry of Works to submit the project’s environmental impact assessment to the House.
He said the document would help lawmakers identify possible environmental risks and determine appropriate mitigation measures before construction continued.
Ademorin Kuye, a lawmaker from Lagos State, suggested that reinforced coastal feeder roads should be built to reconnect isolated maritime and fishing communities to the highway wherever the main dual carriageway is diverted inland because of deep water pits and unstable terrain.
The House unanimously adopted the motion and the accompanying proposals after Kalu put them to a voice vote.