Ogun Demolition: Residents demand full compensation

Residents of Yakoyo/Odozi in Ojodu Abiodun, Ifo Local Government of Ogun State, have called on the state government to stop further demolition of their houses until full compensation is paid to those already affected.

The Yakoyo/Odozi Road Landlords’ Association, while briefing journalists on their fears and what they termed insensitivity on the part of the state government, said they needed at least three months after the compensation must have been paid to make adequate preparations to relocate their families.

According to them, contrary to the claims by the state government that it is currently paying compensation to the affected persons in Abeokuta, no resident of the area has been paid two weeks after the first demolition exercise was carried out.

The Chairman of the association, Mr. Olajide Shekoni, said the residents had written a letter to the Governor Ibikunle Amosun, but had not received any reply.

He said the residents now lived in fear that they might be rendered homeless whenever the demolition exercise resumed.

Shekoni said, “The governor has not paid any of the landlords compensation for the demolished houses, neither has he paid any landlord in on Yakoyo/Odozi road for the houses that have yet to be demolished.

“We all live in fear that we may be rendered homeless and jobless at any time, since our existence is threatened by the action of the Ogun State Government.

“After the demolition of properties that included residential, educational institutions and industries along the end of the Yakoyo/Odozi road from Monday, October 21 to Friday, October 25, we have waited patiently for two weeks for the reply to our letter written to the governor on October 21, but have received nothing.”

The Ogun State Government had two weeks ago begun the demolition of structures to make way for the reconstruction of the 32-kilometre Sango-Ijoko-Akute-Alagbole road.

Amosun was said to have asked those affected by the demolition to go to the state capital, Abeokuta, for compensation.

But Shekoni noted that the agreement was that the government would pay compensation before commencing demolition.

He said contrary to the two-year notice that the government claimed to have given the residents, the first notice was served on March 19, 2012, and while the residents were waiting to be compensated, the demolitions began.

 “One year after the notice was served; eight landlords went to see the governor but met a permanent secretary in the Ministry of Lands. He asked them to go and move their things because there would be no compensation,” he said.

Shekoni added that it was during that visit that the landlords were told that the road would no longer be expanded by 15 metres but by 17.5 metres on either side despite pleas that it should be reduced to 12 metres.

The Vice Chairman of the association, Prof. Kunle Macauley, said when the governor promised to pay compensation, the residents filed their claims through Sola Fatoki and Co, an estate surveyor and valuation firm, in compliance with the procedure.

According to him, despite repeated visits to Abeokuta, no compensation has been paid, while the residents live in fear of the unknown.

“We appeal to Governor Amosun to pay us our compensation as stipulated by the 1999 Constitution and give us enough time to evacuate our belongings,” he said.