By Ayodele Oni
Ilaje communities in Ondo state have protested move by the Federal Government to exclude riverine area of the state from benefitting from the coastal highway currently under construction.
Addressing a press conference in Lagos on Thursday, a spokesman of the communities, Benson Enikuomehin, pointed out that it is shocking that the concept of the coastal highway has now been bastardized and balkanized by the Ministry of Works under the supervision of Senator David Umahi.
According to him, more than 60 percent of the coastal communities in Ilaje LGA of Ondo State have now been bypassed and sidelined.
“Available records and data reveal that the coastal road has now assumed a new name as ‘inland highway road’ when it comes to the Ondo State communities.
“This is courtesy of the Minister of Works and his Ministry. The road now passes through Oke-Upare in Ondo State to link communities in Ovia North and Ovia West of Edo State so as to accommodate Gelegele community in Edo State which is about 10 – 20km from the coastline.
“It is not in dispute that Edo State does not have a single coastal community that aborts the sea. The Gelegele community which is closer to the sea has a distance of about 10 – 20km from the coastline.
“The dispute between Ogun State and Ondo State as regards Eba Island does not bring any controversy as to the fact that Irokun community falls squarely within Ondo State.
“Not wanting to emerge in the controversy of Eba Island, it can safely be said that from Irokun community, the coastal highway commences in Ondo State.
“It is a known fact that of all the coastal states in Nigeria, Ondo State unarguably has the longest coastline of about 80 – 100km.
“It is therefore reasonable that the coastal highway will pass through the coastline communities of Ondo State before getting to Delta State and on through the other states to Calabar.
“The injustice meted to the Ondo State communities by the Ministry of Works (under the supervision of Senator David Umahi) along the coast is both intentional and deliberate.
“Notable communities such as Ugbonla, Ilowo, Ilepete, Obe-Enikanoselu, Obe-Rewoye, Ikorigho, Jinrinwo, Awoye, Igho etc have completely been taken off the coastal route. These communities fall squarely within the initial coastal route where the coastal highway is meant to pass.
“The injustice, and the orchestrated marginalization against the Ilaje people began when additional 100km was added to the initial 700km (bringing the distance to 800km) to accommodate Edo State at all cost in the Coastal Highway. All the initial drawings and mappings of the road have now been jettisoned.
“It must be noted that highway from Lagos to Calabar is meant for the coast. It is not a Niger Delta Affairs: It is a coastal road! Any State that does not fall within the coast in Nigeria will not be considered. This accounts for why states like Abia and Imo, though oil producing States are not considered in this project.
“The intentional distortion of the coastal highway to accommodate non coastal states makes a mockery of the name of the road:-COASTAL HIGHWAY.
“From the axis of Lagos, Ogun, Delta up to Calabar in Cross River State, the road remains COASTAL HIGHWAY in material particular. It is only in Ondo State the Minister and his Ministry of Works have now doctored/altered the concept of COASTAL HIGHWAY to become INLAND HIGHWAY.
“There is no justifiable reason(s) for perpetuating this monumental heinous crime against the coastal Ilaje communities leaving on the coastline of Ondo State. “
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