By Josephine Ogundeji
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development in Lagos State, Dr. Olumide Oluyinka, has said only properties with planning approvals will be compensated for demolition in the construction of the Lagos-calabar coastal road.
He disclosed this at the Association of the Real Estate Agents in Nigeria summit held in Lagos on Tuesday, with the theme, “Building Enduring Partnership for a future.”
He said, “We are clearing the coastal road, and some houses would be affected, if you do not have planning permit approval, you cannot be compensated.”
Speaking on the amount of properties to be demolished, the commissioner said it was difficult to determine the number of properties.
He added, “All the properties to be demolished are all the properties on the road way, because they have been duly informed.
“The owner of properties with title would be compensated, but owners of properties without any approval, it is a pity, they will not be compensated.”
Oluyinka noted that the owners of these properties have been informed, and the next stage is the compensation stage.
He noted, “We have informed them, the next stage, for those that are due for compensation, is to write to them officially to let them know and the value of what they would be compensated with.”
The PUNCH reports that officials from the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, led by the commissioner, Toke Benson-Awoyinka, had recently met and sought the understanding of residents of the Iru area of the state, particularly those that would be affected by the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project by the Federal Government.
Awoyinka, at the meeting held at the palace of the paramount traditional ruler of Iru Land, Oba Abdulwasiu Abisogun II, the Oniru of Iru land, said the government would look into how to get timely compensation for affected persons “because the Lagos State Government will not leave the community members to bear any burden that comes with this project alone.”
A report by a leisure, and lifestyle destination development company, Landmark Africa Group, had also said the destruction of its properties to give way for the construction of Lagos-Calabar highway would threaten 80 businesses, and lead to the loss of 16,000 jobs in its ecosystem.
The Federal Government in March said it had commenced the construction of a 700km Lagos-Calabar coastal highway.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed this in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Orji Uchenna, in Abuja.
It came a week after the Federal Executive Council approved a contract worth N1.067tn for the first phase of the highway’s construction.
The works minister said the 47.47km dual carriageway has five lanes on each side and a train track in the middle. Umahi explained that it formed part of the 700km road spanning nine states, with two spurs leading up north, noting that the facility would be constructed with concrete. (Punch)
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