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 Daily Independent Online.
* Monday, July 26, 2004.
Lagos, FG at
loggerheads over illegal structures’ demolition
By Lekan Sanni,
Correspondent,
Lagos
The Federal
Government last week stalled a demolition exercise being carried out by
the Lagos State government at Asade market, along old Abeokuta road,
Agege, thereby bringing the two arms of government at loggerhead once
again.
The Lagos State Physical
Development Authority (LSPDA) was carrying out the demolition, when a
special assistant to the minister of Works ordered that the exercise be
stopped.
According to Mr. Layi Raheem,
General Manager, LSPDA, the demolition was necessitated by the incessant
accidents involving pedestrians and vehicles along the road caused by the
spill over of the market onto the roadside.
Raheem, who spoke to the press
on the issue at the weekend, said the state government decided to act on
the issue by clearing the road set back of illegal structures because a
responsible government would not sit by and allowed her citizens to be
knocked down by irresponsible and overzealous traders.
He said: “The exercise was
long over due as a result of the incessant knocking down of pedestrians
by vehicular traffic along that road, most especially the level crossing
at Asade market and the AP filling station, opposite Iyana Ipaja road.
“Precisely, we were at the
point of clearing the road set back at the main market opposite the
Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) station.
“We started on Wednesday. But,
on Thursday, when we resumed to continue the exercise, a person that
introduced himself as a special assistant to the minister of Works
approached first, the director of Central Monitoring Department of this
authority to the effect that the minister would want us to stop.
“And, I insisted No. It was at
that point that he requested that we meet at the earliest possible time,
which we agreed to be Monday (today),” he said.
Raheem noted that the Olu of
Agege, who was with the demolition team at the time, was very furious
with the stop work order, insisting that the job should continue.
“The Supreme Court judgement
is very clear on the position of the Lagos State government. But it is
pertinent that we listen and hear what he has to say, because, according
to him, he was calling from Abuja.”
“Definitely, by Monday
morning, we would be able to resolve it and then allow for us to go ahead
with all the roads in Lagos,” he said.
The general manager insisted
that irrespective of the outcome of today’s meeting, the corridors must
be cleared because accidents there have become a weekly affair.
“Often, children, women,
beggars, old people get knocked down by drivers along the road, just
because of the recklessness and greediness of some unscrupulous traders
who would not stay within the market”, he added.
He said that there is the need
to maintain certainty in the state, adding that much emphasis is placed
on drainage alignment and setbacks.
The set backs, he said are
meant for pedestrian traffic and sometimes cycle way and these have been
taken over by traders.
Consequently, he said that
vehicles, motorcycles and pedestrians would have to struggle for the
tarred road, which should not be so.
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