The Oyo State Government on Friday instructed the Ministry of Lands and Urban Development officials to stop the marking and demolition of houses beyond the 150 metres mark along the Senator Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road.
This is just as the government has also begun enumerating affected houses in the corridor to pay adequate compensation to those affected.
The Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr Williams Akin-Funmilayo, stated this during a press briefing jointly addressed with Professor Dahud Kehinde Shangodoyin, Commissioner for Public Works and Transport, at the Conference Room of the Ministry, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
Akin-Funmilayo maintained that the administration of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde will continue to prioritise the welfare of its citizens and residents for more growth and development.
The commissioner explained that contrary to claims that Governor Makinde extended the setback on the road from 150metres to 500 metres, the governor has not acquired any square meter of land within the corridor of the Circular Road since 2019 when he got into office.
According to him, 150 metres to the left and 150 metres to the right of the Circular Road were acquired in August 2006 during the administration of Senator Rashidi Ladoja as the governor of the state, while the 350metres to the left and right of the road was also acquired and gazetted by the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi in 2018.
Akin-Funmilayo, however, assured the affected residents of the area of adequate compensation after due enumeration of their lands and properties have been concluded, adding that the marking of buildings along the corridor are for enumeration to know the number of affected properties captured and to stop those that are erecting new structures on the acquired lands and not necessarily for demolitions.
He also assured the affected property owners that the government, in the meantime, would stop the marking and demolition of affected buildings.
Akin-Funmilayo added that the Makinde-led government will continue to embark on developmental projects in the best interest of the public and not for personal gains, noting that all settlements such as villages, houses and investments within the acquired 150 meters to the left and right will be preserved.
He, therefore, enjoined the residents of the affected areas to support government policies, saying that “we should have it at the back of our minds that government is carrying out this development in the best interest of the citizens of Oyo State but not in personal interests. We will continue to engage with you to explain our position and to listen to your grievances.
“Our doors are widely open for you to walk in and I can guarantee you that, for now, I have instructed that houses beyond 150m, should not be marked. I have also instructed that no building should be pulled down for now.”
Speaking on behalf of the affected residents, Prince Niyi Fasoye, said the affected residents were expecting a favourable response from Governor Makinde.