21st March, 2013
The Lagos State Government will any moment from now begin to demolish houses, fences and shops in four streets adjoining the scene of last year’s Dana Airline crash as it prepares to construct a network of roads in the area to mark the first anniversary of the crash.
Officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure served notices to owneers and occupants of the affected houses yesterday. The government gave three-day ultimatum to the affected landlords remove their fences or structure that would obstruct the expansion of the network of roads. The ultimatum expires tomorrow.
Some residents in the area have stayed back in their homes as they did not want their properties to be demolished in their absence.
The affected streets where houses and fences were marked for demolition are Okusanya, Olaniyi, Idowu Williams and Kufeji streets.
At Kufeji Street, the fence of a hotel, De-Planet will be demolished while Christ Apostolic Church, CAC, on Okusanya Street is also marked for demolition.
The letter served affected residentds had it that the government intended to construct a network of access roads to the Dana Plane crash site in Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area of Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, while the contract has been awarded to Messrs HFP Engineering Nigeria Limited.
The notice letter reads, with the heading: Demolition of Obstructing Structures: “The Lagos State Government has awarded the contract for the construction of the Okusanya network of roads to Messrs HFP Engineering Nigeria Limited and the contractor is about to commence work.
“However, your structure, fence wall, shop, kiosk, building etc fall within the road right of way. Consequently, there is need to remove same to facilitate early completion of the project. It will therefore be appreciated if the removal of the structure be effected within three days of this notice.” The notice was signed by Engr. I.A. Olukoko, Area Engineer, Ifako Ijaiye.
Since the notices were served affected landlords on Wednesday, there have been apprehension in the area as people bemoan what is to befall them any moment from now.
Alhaja Ramota Akinwusi, a landlady, whose house is marked for demolition appealed to the government to leave her property alone, saying this was the only property she had left as she is almost 70 years of age.
“They should leave my house alone. I don’t have money and I don’t have alternative place to go. I am a petty trader. When the Dana plane crashed, the toilet, bathroom and shop in my house were affected and nobody repaired them for me,” she lamented.
Pastor Ezekiel Akin-Jesu, pastor of the CAC to be demolished told P.M.NEWS that government served them notice on Wednesday to remove the property as it obstructs the road construction and appealed to government not to demolish the church.
“Since the Dana crash, government never came to us, neither did we receive compensation. They brought a letter in January telling us that government has revoked the land in the area and they came here yesterday to serve us notice that government wants to complete construction of the roads before 3 June, 2013.
“They gave us three days to remove our structures. I appeal to government to consider us. I have a family and this is the only church I am pastoring, this is my life,” he said passionately.
A 65-year old landlady, Mrs. Comfort Alugbin, a widow, begged the government not to demolish part of her property as she had grand children to take care of.
—Kazeem Ugbodaga