Residents and structure owners along the stretch of the Oyo-Ogbomoso axis of Oyo State have called on the Federal Government, particularly the Ministry of Works, to pay outstanding compensation of N2, 862, 014, 490.30 following the dualisation of the Oyo-Ogbomoso (route A2) of the Ibadan-Ilorin new expressway.
This formed part of the protest and demands of the claimants at a press conference held at Ajilete, Ogbomoso, on Wednesday. In the statement which was signed on behalf of the affected claimants by Mr. Lekan Ajagbe, Tijani Abdulrasheed and Princess Grace Bello, the residents stated that since 2011 when their properties were marked for demolition, they were yet to be paid appropriate compensation. They argued that while some claimants had received the appropriate compensation, many of them were yet to do so.
“We seize this opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) via its approval of MEMO EC (2021) 248 to invest in the reconstruction of selected on-going Federal roads under the Federal Government Road Infrastructure Development & Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme from the NNPC. It is in the public domain that all necessary compensation including other expenses were taken care of in NNPC’s funding and all the listed projects are to pay outstanding expenses.
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Notwithstanding the provision of fund (including payment of compensation), for reasons best known to the Honourable Minister for the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, his Ministry decided to single out compensation from being paid to the Project Affected People (PAP) along Oyo-Ogbomoso Road project.
That is the reason why, out of deep frustration that we are gathered here today to express our displeasure to the attitude of the Federal Government of Nigeria, through its Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, for not paying us compensation for the portion of structures and crops that were affected by the dualization exercise of Oyo-Ogbomosho Road construction.
“As law abiding citizens, who are receptive to the growth and development of every sector of the economy, we are not averse to this laudable project which is aimed at bringing respite to motorists and reduce the accident rate on this hitherto deadly road. However, our grouse with the government particularly the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing is its attitude and the political rigmarole being employed in paying compensation to the remaining affected persons along Oyo-Ogbomoso Road,” the statement read in part.
The statement further stated that the “ grand total of compensation claim is N4, 881, 901, 765.68. Amount paid so far is N2,019,887,275.38; while the outstanding balance is put at N2, 862, 014, 490.30.”
Some of the victims decried their current realities just as they called on the Federal Government to, among other things, ensure the “immediate payment of outstanding compensation to structure and crops owners along Oyo-Ogbomoso road project. Immediate reversal of the two memos which purportedly emanated from the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing directing stoppage of compensation by its Ministry and transferring such function to state government of which the state government is not privy to. Payment of interest accruing on the compensation sum from 2011 till date at bank rate as provided in the Land Use Act, Cap L5, LFN, 2004.”
and then