Ogun Assembly rejects LASG’s move to demolish houses in border community
Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
Ogun State House of Assembly has declared null and void, the notice of demolition and acquisition served by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) to residents of Itoki-Agbado-Ijoko, a border community between Ogun and Lagos States, in preparation for the construction of light rail by the Lagos State government.
The Assembly has therefore called for a formal agreement between the two States through a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU) with a view to ensuring that the required compensation is paid to property owners, whose structures may be affected in the course of the implementation of the proposed project.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo, issued the directive on Tuesday, during the house sitting while responding to the submission of his colleague-lawmaker from Ifo II State Constituency, Ganiyu Oyedeji.
Hon. Ganiyu Oyedeji had reported the unauthorized distribution of the demolition notice by LAMATA to residents of the areas under personal explanation.
The Speaker stressed the need for the governments of the two States to jointly agree on the modalities for the implementation of the proposed projects and how the affected residents would be properly and promptly compensated.
In another development, Oluomo has lauded the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun on the proposed road projects listed for construction and rehabilitation in the next year budget proposal.
He has therefore appealed to the State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure to take advantage of the present dry season to put palliatives on the failed portions of roads across the State, especially within border towns including Animasaun road in Sango-Ota, those within Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government and other parts of the State.
The Speaker, who stated this while responding to the separate submissions of the Majority Leader, Yusuf Sheriff and Bello Atinuke, lauded Governor Abiodun for adopting the Public-Private Partnership policy in infrastructural development, especially road construction.
He explained that the Animasaun road needed the quick intervention of the ministry owing to its socio-economic value to the State and other road users in the area.