Minister of Works, Dave Umahi has said the Group Chief Executive Officer and founder of The Landmark Group, Paul Onwuanibe, cannot claim compensation from the Federal Government in connection with the demolition of structures for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

The Federal Government is currently demolishing properties along the shoreline to create a pathway for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

The Landmark Group, owners of the Landmark beach in Lagos State, is believed to be one of the organisations that will be highly affected by the demolition.

However, Umahi has insisted that infrastructures belonging to Landmark were spared, hence the owner can’t make claims on the Federal Government.

Addressing journalists, the minister said the beach was on the right of way and shoreline.

He said: “No claim for Landmark, we spared all his infrastructure, we don’t pay for the demolition of shanties because it is on our right-of-way, 15 meters from the shoreline, so he has no claim.

“We made all efforts to spare his infrastructure. The Landmark owner is acting like a politician, me I’m an engineer.

“While he does all the politics, I am an engineer, I’ll do the engineering work. I don’t know the attention he is seeking.”

The Federal Government has disbursed N2.75 billion for the first phase of the compensation payouts and unveiled the new design routes for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.

The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, made the announcement at the commencement of payouts to property owners affected by the construction of the 700km highway project, on Wednesday in Lagos.

The federal government had, on April 4, inuagurated a committee to review, evaluate and compensate land owners affected by the construction of the highway project.

According to Umahi, the goal of the committee is to ensure transparency in all undertakings.

He said, “It’s my pleasure to unveil the new design route, and I wish to flag off the compensation from chainage zero to chainage three in a total sum of N2.75 billion. That is very ambitious.

“It’s my pleasure to invite the Director of Design and the Controller to call the people and give them the symbolic amount agreed and to assure that before 1p.m. tomorrow, you will all get your alert as agreed.

“It will be difficult to show you all that we have done here to protect the claimants so that you don’t go to their houses, this one is private to us.

“But the smaller ones, we can do that symbolically, but no cash is paid.”

The Minister also announced that all tenants affected by the demolition at Landmark would receive compensation by the end of the day.

Umahi said, ” All tenants within the Landmark premises have been shortlisted for payments by 2 p.m. today. That closes the politics of Landmark.”

The Chairman, Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway compensation committee, Mrs Korede Keisha, while presenting cheques to deserving beneficiaries, corroborated what Umahi said.

She said, “Just like the minister said that this will be done in phases, so, the first 10 recipients would be called today. If you were not called today, don’t be afraid, we are going to call you in the next few days.

“The secretariat is open and we work 24/7 everyday. So, this is just the opening one.”

She named the beneficiaries as Moist Beach, Checkmate, Kingfisher, G12 Beach, Xchange Lounge, Kingston, Landmark Kids Club by Maxtivity, FX lounge and Bar, and Best Rock.

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is designed to connect Lagos to Cross River, passing through the coastal states of Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom, before culminating in Cross River.

Construction of each kilometre of the 700 kilometre highway will cost N4 billion.

Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has assured workers that his administration will not delay in implementing the new minimum wage.

Makinde gave the assurance on Wednesday in his address at the 2024 May Day celebrations, held at Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Ibadan.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Mr Bayo Lawal, said notwithstanding new minimum wage, his government to fail in its promise of ensuring payment of salaries and pensions on or before 25th of every month.

He said that his administration had been responsive to the welfare of workers, adding that it had also put people at the heart of its policies and programmes.

Acknowledging the importance of labour in the policies, programmes and projects aimed at ensuring the development of the state, Makinde commended the workers for ensuring an atmosphere devoid of incessant industrial actions.

He noted that the cooperation between his government and labour had contributed immensely to the existing development and peaceful atmosphere in the state.

He urged the workers to reciprocate his administration’s good gesture by being more dedicated and committed.

The governor also enjoined them to work ‘tirelessly and vigorously’ for their pay.