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Ongoing development of Oshodi Transport Interchange and the reconstruction of Murtala Mohammed International Airport Road into 10 lanes will see Lagos State paying over N1 billion as compensation on properties affected.
The government recently asked individuals and groups whose properties have been partially or wholly demolished to come forward with relevant documents. However, payment of compensation will be determined by the validity of documents tendered by people and groups affected.
An official, who confided in BusinessDay on Friday, said based on what had been collated so far, “it will cost the state government over N1 billion to pay compensation” on properties demolished to secure the right of way for the project.
Last week, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode told a gathering of captains of industry and business people at a meeting tagged “Lagos Means Business” at Eko Hotels and Suites that it took a government that had guts to attempt the airport road expansion in the first place.
The state wrote to the Federal Government last year seeking approval to reconstruct the road, which for many years, constituted an embarrassment to Nigeria, being the gateway into the country, especially for first time visitors to Africa’s biggest economy.
Rotimi Ogunleye, Lagos State commissioner for physical planning and urban development, said recently that timely submission of document by persons and groups affected would facilitate ease of processing and enable the government fulfill its obligations to all stakeholders.
“We are presently collating and assessing the documents of those that have submitted, but some are yet to submit. We are concerned that affected owners at Murtala Mohammed International Airport Road in particular have not turned in their documents. We are therefore appealing to all that are yet to submit in any of the project areas to do so immediately so that we can process the payment of compensation quickly,” Ogunleye said.
Such documents, according to Ogunleye, include certified registered title of the affected property, approved building plan permit and any other relevant document showing proof of ownership. The documents, he added, are to be submitted to the office of the commissioner, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.
Other projects the government is poised to pay compensation on properties affected, according to Ogunleye, include the development of Igbe/Igbogbo/Bola Ahmed Tinubu road and Agric Isawo road both in Ikorodu, and ongoing construction of flyover at Pen Cinema Roundabout, Agege.
