Circular Road: We won’t demolish houses in densely populated areas —Oyo govt

THE Oyo State government, on Friday, addressed agitation concerning the Ibadan Circular Road corridor, stating that the government acquired 150 meters left and right from the middle of the road in 2006 while another 350 meters left and right was acquired in 2018.

The state Commissioner for Lands, Mr Williams Akin-Funmilayo, who stated this while briefing newsmen on Friday, added that the two segments acquired were gazetted by governments that preceded the Governor Seyi Makinde-led government.

Akin-Funmilayo said the Makinde government had not acquired an extra square meter but was only developing what it met on ground.

The briefing followed a government’s meeting with representatives of the Ibadan Circular Road corridor residents who carried out daily protests in front of the state secretariat in Ibadan for three days.

The commissioner noted that the government was presently clearing the first segment of 150 meters left and right, but said he would order officials of government to stop marking houses for demolition after 150 meters left and right of the road.

Even within the 150 meters left and right, the commissioner said government would take cognizance of not demolishing densely populated segments, settlements structures of economic value which he said would be fenced.

He gave the assurance that the government would give adequate compensation to owners of affected structures, noting that the enumeration of the structures was ongoing.

According to Akin-Funmilayo, marking of structures may not totally connote that they would be demolished but that the owners should stop further construction works.

The commissioner said the Ibadan Circular Road project was being done in the interest of the development of the state.

He said the government would also listen to application for some integration within the 350 meters segment.

Akin-Funmilayo said further that the state government was wary of real estate operators already advertising the road corridor for sale, as it had removed billboards bearing such advertisement.

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