Daily Independent Online.
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Monday, July 05, 2004.
Festac Town: FHA continues demolition of illegal structures
Stories by Dada Jackson
Senior Property &
Environment Correspondent, Lagos
The completion of the on-going demolition of illegal
structures at Festac, Lagos State embarked upon by the Federal Housing
Authority (FHA) since Monday, June 21, 2004, has been extended by one week. The
exercise was supposed to have lasted one week.
In an
interview with Daily Independent, the Assistant General Manager (Estate), FHA, Mr. Asikpo
Bassey, said the decision to extend the deadline came from the managing
director of the authority.
He explained that the exercise, which began about
seven days ago, could not be completed due to the vast terrain of the estate.
However, Asikpo decried a situation whereby Festac
was being gradually turned into a slum, adding that the authority would ensure
that the place was not turned into another jungle.
He pointed out that most of the illegal structures,
especially containers, were being brought into to the estate by unknown
persons.
Asikpo warned that if the demolition exercise was not
carried out now, posterity would not forgive them, explaining that
‘‘somebody has to undertake the task of ridding Festac of illegal
structures, and now is the time to take the bull by the horns.’’
The assistant manager further said that most of the
residents had so far been cooperating with officials of the authority, despite
that there were some pockets of protests which he says, ‘‘cannot be
avoided in such a situation.’’
He said that after the current exercise, officials of
the authority would now move to Ipaja town where all illegal structures would
be demolished.
