FESTAC residents petition lagos Governor over illegal road construction

On Aug 6, 2021

The Association of Festac Town Extension Residents in the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State has petitioned Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to appeal for his intervention to stop the proposed construction of a road through the estate by the Lagos Building Investment Corporation.

The letter was signed by the President, Mr Magali Adetimirin, and the General Secretary, Mr Dele Okusaga titled, “Petition against the illegal activities of Lagos Building Investment Corporation in Festac Extension Mile 2.”

The residents complained that the LBIC demolished the estate’s hall and planned to construct a road through the backyard of two blocks in a bid to build to carve out a mini estate within the estate, a development they said would worsen the drainage problem in the area.

The petition read, “It has become worrisome to see an organ of the Lagos State Government terrorising residents of Festac extension against a proposed road through the back of two blocks in the estate and abandoning the designated road beside block 4, 5 and 6.

“The proposed road is the backyard of blocks 58 and 59, which our youths and children use as a playground since the estate hall and recreation centre was demolished by the LBIC.

“We wish to state that if the proposed road construction is allowed behind the blocks, it will worsen our perennial drainage problem, which has plagued the estate for a long time and which the LBIC has not deemed fit to help solve, rather it has been extorting shop owners in the estate of different fees and at the end, came with heavily armed policemen to demolish the shops and kiosks in the estate with a proposal to develop a mini estate on the said land.”

One of the residents, Mr Isaac Ogundola said, “The LBIC said it wanted to take back its land and said we had no documents, but we showed its officials our documents.

“Now, they have targeted our backyard and want to construct a road in-between two blocks. Since then, whenever rain falls, the place is flooded, and this is affecting the foundations of the houses that are there.

“We wish to state that the design of the estate will be destroyed with the proposed development and it will make our environment hazardous to live in. We want our governor to please use your good office to help us look into the matter and stop the harassment of members of the estate by the LBIC and its agent,” The petition added.

According to the Estate Manager, LBIC, Mr Dotun Olugbile, “It is the governor’s project, it is not even my project, we are only working with them, because the estate belongs to us. So, please write to the LBIC manager if you want to get a full reaction.”

Kamila/Punch