Ijaw Youth Council Demands Original Coastal Highway Route

The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure that the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway follows its originally approved route through Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, and Rivers states. The IYC issued this warning during a press conference on Thursday at the Ijaw House in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, in response to reports of a potential diversion of the highway from Ondo State to the East-West Road.

Dr Doubra Okotete, the National President of the IYC, stated that any change to the original route would undermine public confidence in the Federal Government in the South-South region. He argued that concerns regarding construction costs and difficult terrain were unacceptable, citing ongoing infrastructure projects in the Niger Delta as evidence of feasibility.

Okotete also offered to sponsor former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke on a visit to inspect the Nembe-Brass Road and other projects to demonstrate the region's capacity for infrastructure development. He emphasized that political commitment and transparency were essential to maintaining the original coastal alignment.