The Nigerian government has announced the planned demolition of 750 houses to pave the way for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, triggering significant backlash from affected property owners over insufficient compensation. This was disclosed by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, during a stakeholder meeting in Lagos on Thursday, as reported by PUNCH.
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According to Umahi, two potential alignments for the highway project are under consideration. The first alignment would necessitate the demolition of 490 houses, while the second, following the gazette alignment, would require demolishing 750 houses. Regardless of the alignment chosen, the demolition will displace a significant number of residents and businesses.
The landlords of the properties slated for demolition have expressed deep dissatisfaction with the government’s compensation, which they argue does not reflect the true value of their investments. The discontent stems from what many see as grossly inadequate financial remuneration for their properties.
Cajetan Onu, the President of Total Energies Staff Cooperative Society and Total Energies Staff Club, expressed concerns about the insufficient compensation provided by the government in comparison to the investment made on the developed property. He appealed for more time to recover equipment and requested a reassessment of the compensation evaluation.
He said, “As I speak now, we have a bulldozer on our fence and we started developing our clubhouse four years ago, and we just commissioned it this year. We are not against the project; what we are requesting is more time to recover the equipment we can recover.
“Our second request is on the evaluation that was done to be on the cost for the compensation. We feel it is grossly inadequate compared to how much investment we put into this property. We beg you to assist us to ensure that we get the right compensation for this property.”
Olanrewaju Ojo, the founder of Leisure Games, is one of the affected property owners. Ojo received a compensation amount of N1.3 million, a figure he considers insultingly low.
“This is ridiculous! What am I supposed to do with this? I will make this in a week,” Ojo said.
Another business owner, who chose to remain anonymous, shared that the compensation offered was only a fraction of his investment.
“For me, the compensation I was given is about 1/6 of what we submitted. Obviously, it is not up to what we invested in this business. I am having mixed feelings now and I do not know what to do. I do not know if I should accept or reject this,” he lamented.
Paul Osemele, another property owner, voiced similar frustrations, stating that the compensation did not match market rates.
Osemele lamented, “Nobody is okay with the compensation; the government is given pantries, with the increase in cement.
“The government is not paying according to market value. In my house, I had about 20 tenants, and I have lost revenue since the whole thing started, as they have all moved out…..Seé Móre
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