By Monsor Olowoopejo
LAGOS – About 100 houses and shanties on water channels in Agege area of Lagos State, were, yesterday demolished by Lagos State Task Force on Environment to give way for the reconstruction of canal in the affected areas.
Governor Babatunde Fashola had, on July 11, 2011, during an on-the-spot-assessment of areas devastated by flood of July 10 heavy rainfall, ordered the demolition of all structures built on drainage, which was the major cause of the flood.
The demolition exercise, which started at 7 a.m, followed earlier notice to residents of Odejobi Street in Agege Local Government Area to vacate their houses before a specified time. The affected residents included Odejobi and abattoir in Agege council.
When Vanguard visited the area, yesterday, some of the residents were seen in a last minute move, packing their property to their new locations while others lamented that they had nowhere to go.
Speaking to newsmen, a town planner, Mr Adekunle Rufai of the state Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, who led the demolition team, said the exercise was necessary to protect lives as well as provide better environment for the people.
He said: “Some of the identified distressed buildings were also demolished. The canal project will stretch from Odejobi to Alfa Nla in Orile Agege council. I can assure you that at the completion of the drainage project in this area, the problem of flooding will be a thing of the past.”
Also speaking, Chairman of Lagos State Task Force, Mr. Bayo Sulaiman, said the residents had been given enough notice to vacate the affected houses. He noted that not all the houses on the street would be demolished, He said: “The ones to be demolished are the ones obstructing the extension of the canal.”
LAGOS – About 100 houses and shanties on water channels in Agege area of Lagos State, were, yesterday demolished by Lagos State Task Force on Environment to give way for the reconstruction of canal in the affected areas.
Governor Babatunde Fashola had, on July 11, 2011, during an on-the-spot-assessment of areas devastated by flood of July 10 heavy rainfall, ordered the demolition of all structures built on drainage, which was the major cause of the flood.
The demolition exercise, which started at 7 a.m, followed earlier notice to residents of Odejobi Street in Agege Local Government Area to vacate their houses before a specified time. The affected residents included Odejobi and abattoir in Agege council.
When Vanguard visited the area, yesterday, some of the residents were seen in a last minute move, packing their property to their new locations while others lamented that they had nowhere to go.
Speaking to newsmen, a town planner, Mr Adekunle Rufai of the state Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, who led the demolition team, said the exercise was necessary to protect lives as well as provide better environment for the people.
He said: “Some of the identified distressed buildings were also demolished. The canal project will stretch from Odejobi to Alfa Nla in Orile Agege council. I can assure you that at the completion of the drainage project in this area, the problem of flooding will be a thing of the past.”
Also speaking, Chairman of Lagos State Task Force, Mr. Bayo Sulaiman, said the residents had been given enough notice to vacate the affected houses. He noted that not all the houses on the street would be demolished, He said: “The ones to be demolished are the ones obstructing the extension of the canal.”
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/10/flood-task-force-demolishes-100-houses-shanties-in-agege/