……. won’t demolish houses in densely populated areas
The Oyo State government has explained that the 500m setback for the Ibadan Circular Road Corridor was set by former governor Senator Rashidi Ladoja and late governor Isaac Ajimobi’s administrations.
The government made the explanation
on Friday, while addressing agitation concerning the Ibadan Circular Road corridor, stating that the government acquired 150 meters left and right from the middle of the road in 2006 while another 350 meters left and right was acquired in 2018.
According to the state Commissioner for Lands, Mr Williams Akin-Funmilayo,
while briefing newsmen said the two segments acquired were gazetted by governments that preceded the Governor Seyi Makinde-led government.
It will be recall that residents affected by the Ibadan Circular Road project have been protesting, urging the state government to withdraw the decision on the 500m setback as well as to compensate the owners of already demolished houses.
The protesters have been visiting the government secretariat at Agodi since Tuesday demanding to see the governor personally. The Muslims observed the Jumaat service at the main entrance of the secretariat yesterday, Friday, September 20.
Akin-Funmilayo said the Makinde government had not acquired an extra square meter but was only developing what it met on the ground.
The briefing followed a government meeting with representatives of the Ibadan Circular Road corridor residents who carried out daily protests in front of the state secretariat in Ibadan for three days.
The commissioner noted that the government was presently clearing the first segment of 150 meters left and right, but said he would order officials of government to stop marking houses for demolition after 150 meters left and right of the road.
Even within the 150 meters left and right, the commissioner said the government would take cognizance of not demolishing densely populated segments, settlements, and structures of economic value, which he said would be fenced.
He gave the assurance that the government would give adequate compensation to owners of affected structures, noting that the enumeration of the structures was ongoing.
According to Akin-Funmilayo, the marking of structures may not connote that they would be demolished but that the owners should stop further construction work.
The commissioner said the Ibadan Circular Road project was being done in the interest of the development of the state.
He said the government would also listen to applications for some integration within the 350-meter segment.
Akin-Funmilayo said further that the state government was wary of real estate operators already advertising the road corridor for sale, as it had removed billboards bearing such advertisements.
...For the latest news update, Subscribe to our Whatsapp Channel (Click Here) and join our Telegram Update Group (Click Here)
You can also advertise your Product and Services on our page for more patronage
Contact us today by sending your Stories, Articles, Events, and Eyewitness Reports for publications as well as products and services for advertisement to westerndailies2018@gmail.com or WhatsApp (+2348058448531) for more information
