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Tag: demolish

  • Flood: Lagos to demolish properties blocking drainage

    Flood: Lagos to demolish properties blocking drainage

    The Lagos State Government yesterday ordered owners of properties blocking drainage channels to remove them or have the demolished.

    In a statement yesterday, the Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Babatunde Adejare, said the lawless activities of some people were constantly putting the lives and properties of residents at risk.

    Some areas where properties are erected on drainage channels include Illubirin, Dolphin Estate, Osborne Foreshore Estate, Ikoyi, Osapa London, Ikota, Ogombo, Lekki. The commissioner said investment of public funds in drainage clearing and de-silting was being compromised by such structures.

    The government, he said, was concerned that man-made causes, particularly the impediment of free-flow of storm water through indiscriminate erection of buildings on drainage alignments/ right of way and water courses, played a major role in the recent flooding in the state.

    “Therefore, it is now of paramount importance that owners of buildings or structures impeding the free-flow of storm water, wherever they exist in the state, are advised to voluntarily quit forthwith in the overriding public interest or risk being removed by the government. No responsible government will allow the interest of a few to jeopardise the wellness and wellbeing of the generality of its people.

    “In view of the grievous consequences of compromising drainage right of way and alignment, Lagosians are hereby warned to henceforth refrain from this illegal act, report perpetrators and cooperate with the Lagos State Government in its bid to achieve a flood-free, clean and livable state,” Adejare said.

    The government, he said, has resolved to re-establish the right of way of drainage infrastructure across the state to stem the tide of flooding.

    The commissioner said the decision became necessary to enhance the ability of the drainage channels to effectively discharge storm water into the rivers, lagoon and other water bodies and relieve Lagosians of the incidence of flood.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, Lagosians are once again reminded that the right of way for primary unlined (without concrete) channel is 25 meters and 15 meters for primary lined (with concrete) channel, while the right of way for secondary/connector channel is seven meters. The right of way for tertiary channel is three meters from the fence of the house.

    “Primary channels such as canals are those emptying directly into the river, lagoons and other water bodies, while secondary/connector channels connect water from channels in the frontage of the house (tertiary channels) to the primary channel,” he said.

  • Olukere: I didn’t collect N1m from Fayose to demolish shrine

    Olukere: I didn’t collect N1m from Fayose to demolish shrine

    •Governor stops action against shrine

    The Olukere of Ikere-Ekiti, Oba Ganiyu Obasoyin, has denied collecting N1 million from Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose to relocate some deities and pave way for the dualisation of the township road.

    Addressing reporters in his palace yesterday, Oba Obasoyin described Fayose’s allegation against him as “a blackmail targeted at smearing his image”.

    Fayose, at his monthly media chat earlier in the week, accused the monarch of collecting N1 million from his administration to relocate the shrine ahead of the road project.

    Also, the governor has bowed to demands of the residents and agreed to spare the contentious Ege tree, believed to be over 1,000 years old at the Ereja Shrine.

    A visit to the site yesterday revealed that the contractor had diverted the road around the tree under the eagle eyes of traditionalists who were on the ground to forestall its felling.

    Clearing the air on the controversy surrounding the alleged receipt of N1 million, Oba Obasoyin said the money was not given to him personally, either in cheque or in cash.

    There was a riot in the community on Monday when Fayose ordered that the Ege tree be felled to give way for the dualisation of the major road that passes through the town.

    The Olukere said two of his chiefs – the Eselemo of Odo Oja, Chief Adeyemi Fajilade and Saya, Chief Foluso Olowofela – collected the money from the Commissioner of Works, Mrs Funmilayo Ogun.

    The monarch said the money was used for the relocation of four deities with the exception of the ancient tree.

    According to him, the contractor handling the project assured the people that the road could continue without the tree being pulled down.

  • ‘We’ll not demolish as others did’

    ‘We’ll not demolish as others did’

    There is an assurance that the authorities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) want to distance themselves, as far as possible, from their predecessors who frequently pulled down houses and structures, GBENGA OMOKHUNU reports

    Whatever the claims justifying the deployment of the bulldozers, it is now clear that the administration of Muhammad Bello, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), will not follow the path of Nasir el-Rufai, a former minister of the territory and well-known demolisher.

    El-Rufai, in his days in the FCT, was quite controversial in the manner his administration rolled out the bulldozers and tore down homes and sundry structures in the nation’s capital.

    Bello said his administration will rather develop than destroy what has been built.

    He also blamed multiple allocation of lands in the FCT on past administrations.

    The minister said this while addressing journalists as part of the activities marking two years in office of the present administration in Abuja. He said his administration would rather upgrade slums in Abuja than demolish them.

    Bello said, “In the past you saw 2,3,4,5 people contesting a piece of land. I have been under tremendous pressure to allocate land but because of the mistakes of the past, whereby land allocated to A was also allocated to B or more, [we have to be careful]. Then there will be litigation which is not good. I am working towards allocation of land where there are new layouts”.

    On demolition, he assured FCT residents that his administration won’t demolish anyhow, rather he would upgrade the slums, put infrastructure in place.

    “The reality is that Abuja is growing. I will not destroy places anyhow. We have been trying to strengthen the system.

    “Rather than demolish, why don’t we upgrade. Rather than demolish slums, why don’t you upgrade them? Give them modern infrastructure. Bulldozing people’s places in the past hasn’t been effective”.

    The Minister said, in order to develop the human capacity, the administration trained and retrained over 12,000 staff.

    In the same vein, the ability of the Nigeria Police to earn and retain the confidence of the international community in the discharge of their duties is a clear testimony of their resilience and dedication to the service of not only the nation but entire global community.

    The Minister said that despite limited resources, the police particularly in FCT, has been able curtail threats of criminality and other illegalities to ensure the safety of lives and properties.

    Bello assured that the FCT Administration will continue to provide all necessary support to the Nigeria Police to ensure that the relative peace and tranquillity being enjoyed in the FCT is sustained.

    He said, “We have seen the benefits and I will continue to support you as partners in progress to ensure that we keep the Federal Capital Territory safe for the citizens, safe for the government and of course safe for the diplomatic community and all those that come from far and wide to transact business and other activities within the city.”

    “As long as crimes happen and we are able to solve them within the shortest possible time, it brings credibility to the force and to the administration and above all, it gives confidence to the diplomatic community, to our business partners and anybody that uses Abuja as a place for work or leisure. That is why for us, security is very important,” the FCT Minister said.

    Bello also praised the FCT Police command for their ability to resolve a number of kidnap cases that occurred especially in the satellite towns, saying they were able to crack these cases, despite difficult terrains and limited accessibility.

    The minister specifically recalled an incident in Kuje area where the Command, with very close cooperation with other security agencies took care of the problem of kidnapping, adding, “Within a very short period of time, 10 kidnapped persons were rescued, all alive, without payment of any ransom.”

    “Recently, we had challenges in the border communities between FCT and Niger State and Gwagwalada Area Council where something happened and a joint team, including your men and officers took care of the situation and the community even directly came to me to extend their appreciation. So, I want to also extend my appreciation to you and by extension, the Inspector General of Police for this,” he said.

    The Minister while appreciating the police hierarchy and the local command for the tremendous support they have provided to the FCT Administration in its various Task Forces on environmental management, said, “I want as an administration for us to do much more than what we are doing.”

    “I appreciate also that you have had to contend with limited resources. But for the little you have been doing, we feel delighted and we appreciate it. We will continue also to work with you,” he said.

    The Minister however called for further cooperation between the FCT Administration, the Nigeria Police and other stakeholders to ensure that the campaign against insurgency in the FCT and other parts of the country is sustained.

     

  • ‘We’ll not demolish as others did’

    ‘We’ll not demolish as others did’

    There is an assurance that the authorities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) want to distance themselves, as far as possible, from their predecessors who frequently pulled down houses and structures, GBENGA OMOKHUNU reports

    Whatever the claims justifying the deployment of the bulldozers, it is now clear that the administration of Muhammad Bello, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), will not follow the path of Nasir el-Rufai, a former minister of the territory and well-known demolisher.

    El-Rufai, in his days in the FCT, was quite controversial in the manner his administration rolled out the bulldozers and tore down homes and sundry structures in the nation’s capital.

    Bello said his administration will rather develop than destroy what has been built.

    He also blamed multiple allocation of land in FCT on past administrations.

    The minister said this while addressing journalists as part of the activities marking two years in office of the present administration in Abuja. He said his administration would rather upgrade slums in Abuja than demolish them.

    Bello said, “In the past you saw 2,3,4,5 people contesting a piece of land. I have been under tremendous pressure to allocate land but because of the past mistakes of the past, whereby land allocated to A was also allocated to B or more, [we have to be careful]. Then there will be litigation which is not good. I am working towards allocation of land where there are new layouts”.

    On demolition, he assured FCT residents that his administration won’t demolish anyhow, rather he would upgrade the slums, put infrastructure in place.

    “The reality is that Abuja is growing. I will not destroy places anyhow. We have been trying to strengthen the system.

    “Rather than demolish, why don’t we upgrade. Rather than demolish slums, why don’t you upgrade them? Give them modern infrastructure. Bulldozing people’s places in the past hasn’t been effective”.

    The Minister said, in order to develop the human capacity, the administration trained and retrained over 12,000 staff.

    In the same vein, the ability of the Nigeria Police to earn and retain the confidence of the international community in the discharge of their duties is a clear testimony of their resilience and dedication to the service of not only the nation but entire global community.

    The Minister said that despite limited resources, the police particularly in FCT, has been able curtail threats of criminality and other illegalities to ensure the safety of lives and properties.

    Bello assured that the FCT Administration will continue to provide all necessary support to the Nigeria Police to ensure that the relative peace and tranquillity being enjoyed in the FCT is sustained.

    He said, “We have seen the benefits and I will continue to support you as partners in progress to ensure that we keep the Federal Capital Territory safe for the citizens, safe for the government and of course safe for the diplomatic community and all those that come from far and wide to transact business and other activities within the city.”

    “As long as crimes happen and we are able to solve them within the shortest possible time, it brings credibility to the force and to the Administration and above all, it gives confidence to the diplomatic community, to our business partners and anybody that uses Abuja as a place for work or leisure. That is why for us, security is very important,” the FCT Minister said.

    Bello also praised the FCT Police command for their ability to resolve a number of kidnap cases that occurred especially in the satellite towns, saying they were able to crack these cases, despite difficult terrains and limited accessibility.

    The minister specifically recalled an incident in Kuje area where the Command, with very close cooperation with other security agencies took care of the problem of kidnapping, adding, “Within a very short period of time, 10 kidnapped persons were rescued, all alive, without payment of any ransom.”

    “Recently, we had challenges in the border communities between FCT and Niger State and Gwagwalada Area Council where something happened and a joint team, including your men and officers took care of the situation and the community even directly came to me to extend their appreciation. So, I want to also extend my appreciation to you and by extension, the Inspector General of Police for this,” he said.

     

  • Protests in Ekiti over Fayose’s plan to demolish more houses for flyover bridge

    Protests in Ekiti over Fayose’s plan to demolish more houses for flyover bridge

    Residents of Okesa area of Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital on Thursday protested against the latest plan by the state government to demolish more houses in the neighborhood to make way for the ongoing construction of a one kilometer flyover.

    Governor Ayo Fayose during his monthly media chat, Meet Your Governor, aired on the major electronic media in the state on Monday  had unfolded the plan to demolish more buildings to construct an outer road for the flyover to aid mobility.

    Fayose explained that the demolition exercise will commence on Monday, September 12 which falls on the Eid el Kabir day.

    But scores of house owners and landlords in Okesa staged a public demonstration against the plan by the Fayose administration to pull down their structures in furtherance of the flyover project.

    Acting under the aegis of Okesa Landlords Association, the protesters marched from their neighborhoods through the Secretariat Road before terminating their protest at the Ekiti House of Assembly.

    The protesters were received at the Assembly complex by the Speaker, Kola Oluwawole, who appealed for calm and promised to communicate their grievances to the governor.

    The placard-carrying protesters claimed that the decision to demolish their houses came to them as a shock as they never expected another round of demolition which they said would turn them to “refugees and homeless destitute.”

    According to the spokesman of the house owners, Dada Adesanya, they are gripped with fear about where to relocate after their buildings might have been demolished by government bulldozers.

    He said: “Most of the owners of the buildings are old people who have no money to build new houses. A notice of three days is too short for them to relocate.

    “Apart from this, the initial agreement of 15 meters to the road was what we agreed with the government before they now came with 30 meters which we find too shocking  and sudden.

    “Most of the occupants of the affected structures are aged people who had lived for over eight years in the ancient buildings and could not afford to build another house owing to financial constraints.”

    Adesanya said the people appreciate he developmental project of the present administration but urged the government to have a rethink on the hardship the project would unleash on the people.

    Responding, Speaker Oluwawole commended the peaceful conduct of the protesters  and told the house owners that the intended demolition was to guard against vehicles ramming into the buildings.

    Oluwawole explained that government meant well for the people hence the need to embark on developmental project that would attract investment and industrialization.

    The Speaker advised the people to carry the authorities of the Ministry of Lands and Housing along in their agitations as the Assembly was also ready to wade into the matter.

    He, however, added that all citizens of the state should be ready to make sacrifice when necessary to pave way for economic prosperity and infrastructural development.

    Oluwawole said: “I like the way you have been peaceful, we will take your case to the executive. Every citizens must be ready to make some sacrifices.”

  • Lagos to demolish structures on drains

    Lagos to demolish structures on drains

    All structures on drainage channels and alignments hampering the free flow of water in Lagos are to be demolished.

    The Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare, gave the order during a tour of dark drainage spots during last weekend’s downpour.

    The tour, which took the Commissioner and the Ministry’s officials and those of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) to Sogunle-Ikeja, Ajiran in Lekki and Salawe/Taike in Ikosi-Ketu, among other areas in the state, disclosed that most of the flooded areas had been blocked by refuse dumps, illegal structures on low lying areas, flood plains and drainage channels.

    Adejare, while empathising with the affected communities, assured the victims of the flood that  Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has ordered interventions, including re-dredging of all drainages and canals impacted by the incident to prevent any loss of lives and property.

    Adejare appealed to residents located on the state’s low-lying areas and flood plains to relocate to higher grounds, considering that heavier rains were in the offing ahead.

    Lagosians, he warned, should desist from dumping refuse into the drainage channels because they are meant to drain water and not for waste.

    “I am appealing to residents not to dump refuse into the drains. We must manage our waste and package them well so that they don’t find their ways into the canals. Our men have been working on the canals since weekend,” he said.

    The state, he said, had since last year, embarked on massive clearing and dredging of primary and secondary channels/collectors, expansion of existing drainage channels, to contain more storm water, lining of many earth channels, to ensure flow efficiency, full mobilisation of resident engineers/drainage maintenance officers to oversee drainage matters in all the local government areas/LCDA’s across the state and regular monitoring and oversight of other environmental challenge.

    Allaying the fears of flooding, he said: “Lagos, as a coastal state is susceptible to flash floods anytime it rained with high intensity and residents of low line areas were especially prone to the back flow effect. We are likely to have flashfloods on our roads as normal occurrences all over the world. As long as the drains are clean, we should be assured that, in a matter of time, the flash floods will disappear.”

    The Commissioner explained that when flood water remained on the roads for days, there could be flooding. “It must be noted that, anytime the Lagoon level rises, it will ‘lock up’ our drainage channels and until it recedes, there will be no discharge. Occurrences like these also cause backflows, resorting to flooding. But, as soon as the Lagoon recedes, all the generated storm water will immediately discharge and our roads will be free,” he explained.

    The Nigeria Meteorological Agency and Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency, in their 2016 Annual Flood Outlook warned that this year’s flooding would be higher than that of last year. The predictions indicated that coastal cities like Lagos will experience “flooding, sea-level rise and tidal surges’’.”

    The agency named Ogun-Osun as one of the River Basins, which will experience flooding, urging the communities in the adjoining plains to keep safe distances.

    Adejare, therefore, advised Lagosians who reside along flood plains, coastal and low-lying wetland areas near major rivers, such as Ikorodu, Owode, Iwaya, Makoko, Badia, Ijora, Isaalu, Pota, and Sibiri, to always be on the alert, adding that when the need arises the government shall notify such residents.

    He added that low lying areas were vulnerable to flooding, and that they were natural courses of water which ought not to be converted to residential abodes.

    He said most of the incidence of flooding in the state were caused by human errors, which could have been averted if there was attitudinal change and appropriate use of drainage channels.

  • Agency to demolish ‘illegal’ structures at Ariaria

    A committee set up by the Abia State Government to restore the master plan of major markets, including Ariaria International Market in Aba, has said it will soon being demolition of illegal structures in the market.

    The Chairman of the state’s Market Development Committee, Solomon Nwaigwe, who addressed reporters in Aba solicited the corporation of traders and shop owners for the proposed remodelling of the market.

    The chairman decried the level of decay in the market, saying its perennial flooding reflected the attitude of the traders who he accused building illegal structures on top of the drainage.

    He also accused them of indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the waterways, forcing water to overflow the gutters into shops.

    According to him, part of the committee’s mandate is to restore the master plan of the market and ensure that it retains its international standard.

    Nwaigwe said: “It might interest you to know that we have carefully carried out proper checks at the market. In our checks, we discovered that the traders built lockup shops on top of drainages.

  • Abia to demolish illegal structures despite protests

    The Abia State government has said that it will go ahead with its plans to demolish illegal structures in commercial hub Aba despites protests from the opposition All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the state.

    The opposition had alleged that the state government was targeting the buildings of its members in the demolition exercise with the aim to demoralise them and bring them to submission.

    But the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Godwin Adindu said that the demolition exercise in Aba will continue from street to street until to make way for free flow of waste water.

    Speaking in Umuahia, Adindu said that the exercise was not targeted at any group or individuals but is aimed at restoring the city to the status of a modern city which has been defaced with illegal structures over time.

    He said, “There is no selection pattern in the demolition exercise that is going on in Aba and there is no one or group that is the target of government; what we are demolishing are all illegal

    structures that contravene town planning regulations”.

    The CPS said that contrary to the insinuations by the opposition that the demolition was the state government’s way of paying Aba people back for not voting PDP in the last election, that the reverse is the case in this matter.

    Adindu said, “If the government should think or behave in relation to who voted or did not vote for PDP, it will not start its developmental work in Aba at all in view of the voting pattern in the election; we are not as petty as APGA would want people to believe.

    To us, Aba is beyond the voting trend of one election, the city is beyond the election, it belongs to everybody, to all Ndigbo and entire Nigerians, by developing Aba the governor is developing a place that is home to all and not to APGA people”.

     

  • I didn’t demolish house in Afao , says Fayose

    I didn’t demolish house in Afao , says Fayose

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has said he did not order the demolition of an old building in his hometown of Afao-Ekiti in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area.

    Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, Fayose said it was wrong for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Secretary in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area in Lagos State, David Omotoso, to assume that he (Fayose) ordered the demolition.

    He said: “The attention of Governor Fayose has been drawn to allegations by David Oluwafemi Omotoso that the governor was responsible for the demolition of his family home at Afao-Ekiti.

    “It is true that Governor Fayose built the Alafao Palace some years ago on the land provided by the Afao Development Council.

    “However, the demolition of the building is an internal affair of the Afao Community and has nothing to do with Governor Fayose.

    “It is wrong for Mr Omotoso to assume that the governor ordered the demolition of his family home.

    “It is the Alafao-in-Council and the Afao Development Council which felt that the 100-year-old dilapidated roofless structure of the Omotoso family was posing danger to the pupils of near-by primary schools.

    “The community also claimed that the building has become a haven to criminals, who often hide there to perpetrate crime.

    “What has that got to do with Fayose? Is it because Fayose is from Afao or because he built the palace?

    The Afao-Ekiti community also corroborated the governor’s claim. Acting under the aegis of Afao Development Council (ADC), they advised Omotoso not to politicise the demolition, maintaining that Fayose has no hand in it as official application was made to appropriate government agencies before the action was carried out.

    The ADC, led by its President, Chief Alex Akintunde and Secretary Bisi Agunbiade, condemned Omotoso for politicising a community development effort.

    Addressing a briefing at the Alafao’s Palace, ADC’s Public Relations Officer Tope Anjorin said the community had no intention to take away the land as the family was free to erect any structure on the land.

    Anjorin said it was uncharitable for Omotoso to claim that the building was demolished because of his political beliefs, adding that the patriarch had other children, who were members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    “We want to make it clear that Fayose has nothing to do with this demolition.”

  • Lagos to demolish 2,000 houses

    The Lagos State Government is gearing up to demolish over 2,000 dilapidated houses in Adeniji Adele to make way for new structures.

    The Commissioner of Physical Planning & Urban Development, Mr. Toyin Ayinde, told The Nation that the administration is interested in the well-being of residents and will do everything to achieve it.

    On the demolished Ijora Badia, another slum in the metropolis, he said that only a fifth of the area, which is also the least resistant, has been taken over by the state.

    He said the same area was cleared by the state in 2005, but before the government could take possession, illegal occupants took it over.

    He regretted that these illegal occupants were the same people who were moved in 1973 from the site of the National Theatre Iganmu and were given a temporary occupancy of one year in Ijora Badia.

    He maintained that as far as they remained in an informal settlement, they would continuously be moved. He said the government needed to also move them to allow the contractor to move in to site and began the construction of 1,008 housing units in the site.

    On the housing model that the government intends to build, Ayinde said it is a mixture of wet and dry construction, adding that the units will be assembled at theh site.

    He said the construction would be a pilot scheme for contractors to prepare them for the units planned for Adeniji Adele on Lagos Island which would be completed in 18 months.

    On the cost of the units after completion, he refused to mention a figure, but rather insisted that there would be consideration for those who were evicted.

    The commissioner said they would be expected to pay a certain amount while the government would pay the balance.

    He blamed some non-governmental organisations for criticising the government, especially on the upgrade of slums.