The Lagos State Government says it has engaged stakeholders on discussions toward smooth establishment of the Right of Way (RoW) for construction of the Opebi-Mende link Bridge in Ikeja.
A statement on Saturday, August 13, 2022, by Mr Mukaila Sanusi, spokesperson of the Lagos Ltate Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, said the project was a priority of the Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.
Sanusi said the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Idris Salako, led the stakeholders meeting in Alausa on Friday.
Salako said the construction of the Opebi-Mende Link Bridge and approach roads would ease gridlock and transportion network in line with the THEMES agenda of the Lagos State Government.
“It is a known fact that the people are the ultimate beneficiaries of development projects like this. As promised through the THEMES Agenda of the Administration, the government led by Sanwo-Olu will continue to take concrete steps toward ensuring the delivery of the dividends of democracy to our people.
“Evidently, this particular project, like many that have been executed across sectors, will add on as a good example of making life more abundant for the governed,” he said.
He urged the stakeholders to grant public officers and contractors working on the site unhindered access for hitch-free operations to ensure the project was delivered on schedule.
Salako added that as part of the procedure for the establishment of the RoW, officials of the ministry would serve statutory notices on buildings earmarked for removal and mark such affected buildings at the expiration of the notices.
He added that officers from Lands Bureau would later carry out valuation exercise for compensation purposes before the actual removal of structures.
The Special Adviser to the governor on E-GIS and Planning Matters, Dr Olajide Babatunde, urged all property owners to respect the RoW of public facilities to avoid the removal of their structures.
The Special Adviser, Works and Infrastructure, Mrs Aramide Adeyoye, urged the stakeholders “to take ownership of the project and accord it the deserved support as their inputs and suggestions were factored in”.
Others at the meeting included: Permanent Secretary, Office of Infrastructure, Mr Olufemi Daramola; General Manager, Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency, Ms Ajibike Shomade; and General Manager, Lagos State Planning and Environmental Monitoring Agency, Mr Daisi Oso.
By Grace Alegba
