Sixty-seven homes in Festac Town, Awumo-Odofin area of Lagos State, are scheduled for total demolition as part of the state’s efforts to remove illegal structures.
Akintola Olagbemiro, the Southwest Zonal Manager for the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), revealed that 744 more homes would undergo partial demolition as a result of developer violations.
During an on-the-spot assessment of the affected area, Mr. Akintola Olagbemiro, the South-West Zonal Manager of FHA, revealed this.
Despite letters and meetings with stakeholders, Olagbemiro bemoaned the fact that developers were still building structures in areas with swamps without adhering to the regulations.
The FHA Zonal Manager states that:
“After so many years of trying to get into the property belonging to FHA, which we labelled as Festac Phase 2. There has been encroachment and illegal development and it’s turning the place into a slum.”
Francisca Michael-James, Deputy General Manager, FHA, Urban and Regional Planning, Southwest, expressed regret over developers’ disregard for orders to halt construction.
She stated that the agency has resorted to obtaining security backup and beginning the demolition of the affected homes.
Commenting on the punishment for defaulters, she said:
“In the law, if we demolish, we are supposed to penalise the owner of the building and charge for the fees for the cost of carrying out the operation. Assuming any of the buildings collapsed, the landlord will be charged for manslaughter, but the first point of call will be pointing accusing fingers at the agency so, as to avoid that, that’s why we want to carry out the enforcement. The enforcement will be done soon.
“The first thing we are doing is to clear the road; some of the buildings will be partially demolished for right of way. 677 houses will be demolished and 744 will be demolished partially.”
cc: Daily Post Ng
