BY: AYO AGBEOLUWAYE
The Lagos State Government says the demolition of structures in Makoko was carried out to protect lives and ensure public safety with the aim create an urban renewal centre for the Mega Water City project.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, made this known during a media briefing in Alausa, Ikeja.
The Commissioner said the right to protest is fundamental and that the state would continue to uphold it, provided it does not infringe on the rights of others while accusing fifth columnist of projecting Makoko community as a slum where poverty stays maintaining, that many of the wooden buildings erected on the water were located directly beneath high-tension power cables, posing serious danger to residents.
The Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on E-GIS and Urban Development Dr. Babatunde Olajide, explained that urban regeneration remains a priority of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration, aimed at ensuring people live and work in a safe and conducive environment.
He however stressed that structures taken down in Makoko as at now where structures under the power transmission line which he argued that several meetings with the community had been held with collaborative partnerships with some United Nations agencies to ensure challenges such as Sanitation, basic infrastructure social amenities is addressed while a floating school is built.
Dr Olajide reiterated that traders and residents affected by earlier demolitions at Pele Wura, Alaba Rago, Adeniji Adele,Pele Wura Onirin, Katangwa and Bombata Markets on Lagos Island, as well as other parts of the state, had been compensated re-emphasizing government commitment to community self-comply to safety.
The E-GIS boss stressed that governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has however directed that legal occupants with verified documents should be compensated in collaboration with the working partners of some United Nations agency and the building of transit camps.
In a related development, the Lagos state House of Assembly is also set to meet with relevant stakeholders and some affected persons who’s structure were pulled down in Makoko area today at the assembly.
The Chairman of the Assembly House Committee on information and strategy,Hon Stephen Ogundipe who signed the sent out invite sighted by our correspondent indicates the house ready-involvement to carefully look into the agitations of the Makoko residents who had last week protested to the assembly and things got bad that the Policemen attached to the assembly led by the Lagos state Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh dispatched the protesters and while some were arrested and tried before a lagos magistrate court, but their bails were taken by Nigerian human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana who accused the Lagos state government of bias and silencing the right of the people to protest.
