Dr. Olumide Oluyinka, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development in Lagos State, has announced that only properties with planning approvals will be compensated for demolition in the construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal road.
He made this known at the Association of the Real Estate Agents in Nigeria summit held in Lagos on Tuesday, under the theme, “Building Enduring Partnership for a Future.”
Oluyinka emphasized, “We are clearing the coastal road, and some houses would be affected. If you do not have planning permit approval, you cannot be compensated.”
Regarding the number of properties to be demolished, the commissioner stated that it was challenging to determine the exact figure. He explained, “All the properties to be demolished are all the properties on the road way, because they have been duly informed.
READ ALSO: Lagos Residents Protest Demolition Plans for Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road Project
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 assured that the owners of these properties have been informed, and the next stage is the compensation process. He said, “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.”
In related news, officials from the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, led by Commissioner Toke Benson-Awoyinka, recently met with residents of the Iru area of the state, particularly those affected by the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project by the Federal Government.
READ ALSO: Unlocking Nigeria’s Economic Potential: Dealing with Dead Capital
Awoyinka stated that the government would ensure timely compensation for affected persons, stating, “The Lagos State Government will not leave the community members to bear any burden that comes with this project alone.”
Furthermore, a report by Landmark Africa Group, a leisure and lifestyle destination development company, indicated that the destruction of its properties to make way for the construction of the Lagos-Calabar highway would threaten 80 businesses and lead to the loss of 16,000 jobs in its ecosystem.
The Federal Government had earlier announced in March that it had commenced the construction of a 700km Lagos-Calabar coastal highway.
READ ALSO: Lagos State Plans Demolition of $200 Million Landmark Beach Resort for Coastal Highway Project
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed this after the Federal Executive Council approved a contract worth N1.067tn for the first phase of the highway’s construction. Umahi explained that the 47.47km dual carriageway would have five lanes on each side and a train track in the middle, forming part of the 700km road spanning nine states, with two spurs leading up north, and would be constructed with concrete.