- May demolish churches, Filling stations, others on the right of way
The Federal Government on Wednesday issued a stern warning to traders, religious homes and other businesses operating along the Right of Way (RoW) of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
They are to leave before they are forcefully evicted.
Affected by the order, are shanties, petrol filling stations, major Pentecostal churches including the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), the Deeper Christian Life Bible Ministries (Deeper Life), Christ Embassy, NASFAT, MFM, warehouses, mechanic work yards, fences and other facilities encroaching the RoW of the highway from Ojota, in the Lagos State to Ojoo, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola said the move was to preserve the national asset.
Fashola who was represented by the Federal Controllers of Works for Lagos, Ogun and Oyo made this known during a two-day sensitisation of residents living along the corridor.
The Federal Controller of Works, Ogun, Mr Umar Bakare, and Mr Kayode Popoola (Lagos), who was represented by the supervisor of section one of the highway which spans Ojota in Lagos to Sagamu Interchange, in Ogun State, Adewale Adebote sensitized everyone around the RoW, beginning from the mechanics on the RoW opposite Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre (LSAEC) at the old Toll Gate in Lagos.
The engineers gave out fliers and placed seal of removal notices on shanties, abandoned vehicles, wares, fences and other facilities encroaching on the RoW.
Blaring out messages in the three major indigenous languages, English and Pidgin the people were warned on the dangers of abuse of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway undergoing reconstruction and rehabilitation.
They issued warnings and educated the people on the approved road setback for filling stations, fences and other buildings along the highway.
According to them, after the sensitisation exercise, quit notices would be served on all affected and a date for demolition would be communicated should those liable refuse to obey.
”After this sensitisation we will come here and mark, then we will come with quit notice then the forceful demolition,” Bakare told encroachers along Berger axis.
Also, filling stations on the RoW were served notices and Bakare educated them on the approved road set back which is 150ft or 45.72 metres from the road median.
He advised those who alleged to have requisite state or federal government approvals to tender such documents to the office of either the Federal Controllers of Lagos or Ogun States depending on their jurisdiction.
They also warned those living under the bridges to vacate with immediate effect as their activities could cause fire outbreak on the bridges.
He said that the federal controllers had a mandate “to take full control of Right of Way of all federal highways”.
He said that there were several illegal activities ongoing under the bridges and RoW of the highway between Ojota in Lagos where the project begins to Ojoo in Ibadan constituting danger to the highway.
”This is calling us to effect and enforce a subsisting highway law, to this effect, the controllers of Lagos, Ogun myself and the controller of Oyo, have come together to carry out enforcement on Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
“Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is one of the most important federal highways in the whole of the country. It is an expressway in correct engineering definition of it when it was first constructed and opened to traffic in 1978.
“Now, it is the duty of Federal Ministry of Works to protect the investment of the federal government of Nigeria. This we can do by protecting the RoW as charged by the honorable minister,” he said.