The Lagos state government says only property owners with planning approvals will be compensated by the state government for demolition in the construction of the Lagos-calabar coastal road.
The state Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Olumide Oluyinka, made this known at the Association of the Real Estate Agents in Nigeria summit held on Tuesday.
The project is the brain child of the federal government, which recently approved over N1 trillion for the take-off of its first phase.
According to checks by the magazine, the projects will affect many property owners whose properties are likely to be demolished to pave the way for the coastal road expected to cover 10 states, according to Dave Umahi, the Minister of Works.
Not a few property owners on the route have protested that their livelihood is likely to be destroyed as a result of what many have described as a very ambitious project.
For instance, Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president said in a statement earlier in the week that many sources of livelihood would be ruined due to the construction of the coastal highway.
The former vice president complained of the huge financial cost of the 700 kilometre long project to Nigerians, adding that the coastal highway “ is expected to lead to job losses like the demolition of Landmark Beach Resort in Oniru which will lead to the loss of over 12,000 direct and indirect jobs and over $200m in investments according to its management.”
The state government has now added salt to the injury of property owners whose properties will be demolished as a result of the construction of the project.
According to the commissioner, property owners with valid document to built will be compensated by the state government.
Oluyinka said, “We are clearing the coastal road, and some houses would be affected, if you do not have planning permit approval, you cannot be compensated.
“All the properties to be demolished are all the properties on the road way, because they have been duly informed.
“The owner of properties with title would be compensated, but owners of properties without any approval, it is a pity, they will not be compensated.”
