Sanwo-Olu to demolish 1000 houses in Ogun, clash with Gateway state assembly

Ogun and Lagos may clash as the former served border communities along its light rail corridor demolition notices which the Ogun state assembly nullified.

Officials of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA)served the notices on residents of Itoki-Agbado-Ijoko in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.

No fewer than 1000 houses are affected.

The later stated the construction of Agbado station and associated infrastructure “is in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Transportation and Nigerian Railway Corporation.

The Lagos Government added that its agency, LAMATA is also “in close consultation with the Ogun State Ministry of Transportation about the development.”

“…In order to establish the Right of Way (RoW) for this proposed development, houses and businesses will be affected.

“Therefore, this letter serves as a notice to inform you that your property is likely to be acquired in overriding public interest,” it stated in part.

However, the Ogun State House of Assembly on Thursday declared the removal notice as “null and void.”

It called for the formal agreement between the two States through a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU) regarding the planned removal of structures at the Ogun border communities.

The assembly said the MoU would ensure that the required compensation is paid to property owners, whose structures may be affected in the course of the implementation of the proposed project.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo, who described the notice as unauthorized, gave the directive, while responding to the submission of the lawmaker representing Ifo II State Constituency, Hon Ganiyu Alani Oyedeji.

“We need to assure the residents that an MOU between Lagos and Ogun will ensure that necessary compensation is paid to all the owners of affected properties before the demolition and commencement of work on the project,” he said.

Both states are governed by the APC.