The Lagos State Government on Tuesday began construction of road at Ojodu-Berger area of the state, promising to compensate residents whose properties will be affected.
According to the government, the expansion of the two-lane road to six-lane was going to bring inconveniences to people but appealed to concerned stakeholders to cooperate for the successful execution of the project.
Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Prince Rotimi Ogunleye, while speaking at the stakeholders’ meeting for the construction of Kosoko Road, Ojodu Berger in Ojodu Local Council Development Area, called for understanding of the residents and other property owners whose property might be affected by the project.
He said the project was part of moves of the current administration to ensure regional integration and implementation of policies that would fast-track the southwest integration.
Ogunleye said the concept of regional integration was very crucial to the state government, saying that the Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration believed in developing the border roads to actualize the southwest regional integration agenda.
The commissioner stated that property owners were bound to undergo some inconveniences during the construction of the roads, he assured the stakeholders of enhanced value of their property when the project was completed.
He promised that the administration would adequately compensate those affected by the regeneration of Ojodu Berger as well as other developmental projects carried out by the government irrespective of the time left for the administration to handover.
According to him, the Sanwo-Olu administration would continue to work on the infrastructural development.
“Please we want you to cooperate with our team who will soon begin to mark your houses. First team will come to do the enumeration, other will come for the marking and another team will come for the removal,” he said.
Ogunleye allayed fear over denial of payment, urging the residents and affected property owner to bring any document to prove their ownership of the affected property.
“Bring whatever documents to you have to prove ownership of the house. As long there is evidence to prove that the property is yours, you will be duly compensated.”
Also speaking, the Iya-loja of the demolished market, Alhaja Abibat Adegbola said though most Lagosians and residents were happy with the regeneration of Ojodu Berger by the outgoing administration, she lamented that hundreds of marketers were being rendered jobless and wrecked by the demolition of the market.
