Daily Independent Online.
*
Monday, July 26, 2004.
Lagos proposes multi-million naira plaza on
demolished site
By Dada Jackson
Senior Property and environment
Correspondent, Lagos.
The demolished building at the Alaba International
market owned by Mr. Chika Elile may soon be converted into a multi-million
naira shopping complex.
Daily Independent learnt from a source that Lagos
State is proposing to turn the demolished site into an international market,
which is expected to generate more revenue for the government, instead of the
initial idea of turning the place into a car park.
The source said that the proposed multi-million naira
plaza, which may likely take about 18 months to complete, is expected to serve
the teeming population that throng the Alaba international market daily.
The source
said the market, when completed, most of the traders presently doing business
at the old Alaba international market, would relocate to the new market.
Daily Independent further learnt that though the idea
to build the market is still on the drawing board, the state governor might
have tacitly given his nod to the idea.
This development may not be unconnected with the
petition written by the owner of the demolished structure to the state
attorney-general and commissioner for justice, alleging that he was being
deprived of his hard earned ‘life savings ’as a result of the
demolition exercise.
Elile
had alleged in his petition that the demolition exercise was targeted at him
because of his resolve not to continue to pay those whom he bought the land
from, adding that this was the beginning of his travail.
He
debunked the allegation that he did not possess a certificate of occupancy for
his properties, adding that he was duly given a valid C of O for all his
properties. He explained that the accusation was not only spurious, but
outrageous .He added that if he had no valid C of O, he would not have had the
courage to write the petition to the state government.
On the proposed multi-million naira shopping plaza
being envisaged by the state government on the demolished site, Elile said that
he was not aware of such plan, adding that if the state government goes ahead
to build the market, then it should be ready to pay him adequate compensation
for all his properties affected by the demolition exercise.
However, a source at Alausa, said that the developer,
Elile, did not possess a valid C of O, stressing that if in truth, he had such
a document, he should submit same to the ministry for verification, adding,
unless he did that, his claim for restitution would just be an exercise in
futility.
According to the source, the decision to build the
multi-million naira shopping plaza, was taken after due consultations with some
of the land owners in the area, noting that they had agreed that such an
international market was long overdue for the area to compliment the existing
Alaba market, which had become in adequate and rowdy.
At a press briefing with journalists last week, the
developer, Elile, said all the allegations leveled against him were untrue,
adding that he had a valid C of O for all his properties scattered all over
Alaba and beyond.
Elile, who showed the C of O to journalists, noted
with regret that he was being persecuted for no just cause because he was
‘‘not a son of the soil,’’ adding that he would not
fold his arms and allow all the properties he had acquired over 33 years to be
destroyed in one fell swoop.
He
further said that he would pursue the matter to a logical conclusion, noting
that as a first step, he had written a letter to the state attorney-general,
intimating him of the selective demolition exercise that was carried out by men
of the state’s task force on Environment and Sanitation on his shops that
were demolished.
He said he had briefed his solicitors on the matter,
adding that he would pursue the issue from a judicial point of view instead of
resorting to violence.
Daily Independent learnt that the state Ministry of
Environment had concluded plans to go ahead with the decision to construct the
multi-million naira shopping plaza.
