The Ogun State government is to begin payment of compensation to owners of properties demolished by the immediate past administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun, to pave way for the expansion of some road projects across the state.
Towards this end, the state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has approved that payment of compensation to onward of such properties be commenced to alleviate the sufferings of those affected.
Recall that Senator Amosun had embarked on massive demolition of properties across the state in his desire to expand some roads to as much as eight lanes, without paying compensation to owners of the affected properties.
Additionally, it was double jeopardy, as many of the roads were abandoned midway through the construction process, while others did not take off at all.
Ogun State Commissioner for Works, Engr. Ade Akinsanya, while speaking on the issue at the weekend, said that the governor has approved the payment of the compensation, which according to him will be in phases.
Akinsanya noted that the demolitions carried out by the Amosun administration were unnecessary, adding that it ended up compounding the problems being faced by the present government.
He said that consequent upon the wanton demolition embarked upon by the Amosun administration, the Ogun State government now has compensation clams running into billions of naira to contend with, in addition to sourcing for huge sums of money to complete the abandoned road projects.
Noting that the Abiodun administration inherited outstanding debt of N202 billion from the Amosun government on roads alone, the commissioner said that the state government has decided on the policy of no demolition in its project execution, except where necessary and unavoidable.
He said that the last administration had earmarked some houses for demolition preparatory to the rehabilitation of the Kemta-Somorin road in Abeokuta, but revealed that the project is nearing completion without any demolition carried out.
He enthused, “Our road design and construction is such that we try to avoid demolition. It is actual not necessary to demolish while constructing roads, unless it is actually unavoidable.
“The same thing applies to bridge construction. Most of the bridges constructed by that regime were a waste of resources. For instance, on the entire stretch of the 19-kilometers Atan-Lusada-Agbara road, there is only one bridge. And the length is short.”
Meanwhile, Governor Abiodun has been praised for his intervention in the payment of compensation to those whose properties were demolished by the previous administration.
A resident of Agbado, who lost many shops to Amosun’s bulldozers, Mr. Abayomi Olanrewaju, commended Governor Abiodun for his magnanimity.
Berating the immediate past administration for subjecting people to unwarranted hardship, he regretted that the road had been abandoned for more than six years now that the demolition took place.
Olanrewaju, who said he depended on his shops to survive before the demolition, also disclosed that the road was better before the bulldozer moved in for the massive destruction.
Another resident, Taiwo Adebari, also expressed gratitude to the state government, noting that the compensation will help in alleviating some of their sufferings.
