Ibadan – As victims of the demolition of structures along the Ibadan circular road continue daily protests across the city, the Oyo State government has broken its silence revealing the true position behind the 500m corridor.
Speaking at an interaction with the National Association of Public Affairs Analysts, NAPAA, in Ibadan on Tuesday, the Executive Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on New Towns and Cities, Mrs Mofoluke Adebiyi revealed that most of the affected structures lacked proper documentation, adding that the government is focused on an integrated and well structured expansion across the state.
According to her, the 500m on either side of the Circular road has been captured in the Ibadan master plan published in 2018.
‘The description of the Circular Road in that document indicates that there’s a provision of 60m, 30 m on either side for the immediate road and then 470m on either side for the circular road corridor’, she explained.
Mrs Adebiyi further explained that the compulsory 75 meters after the initial 75 meters on either way will be used to provide service roads for users on the corridor.
Speaking on compensating the victims, she confirmed that about 190 of the 298 houses counted have been compensated.
When asked if the government could make some concessions and shift ground from the 500m, Adebiyi said the government has shifted ground in saying that 150m be taken from developed areas and 500m from undeveloped areas along the corridor, coming to ‘like 180 percent of the houses in the entire place.’
‘There are different ways victims of such exercise can be compensated; cash compensation or resettlement. It is a possibility but the way and manner people come to dialogue will determine the outcome’, she noted.
The interaction was anchored by Comrade Jare Ajayi and it had in attendance, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Dr Olanrewaju Sulaimon, the SA Communications, Dayo Ogunbowale, SA Broadcast, Bose Sodiq, and SA Print, Moses Alao.
Members of NAPAA in attendance include, Hon Lanre Agoro, Pastor Segun Ogungbayi, Rotimi Agboluaje and Moshood Onisemeje.
Also Speaking during the session, Dr. Olanrewaju dismissed claims that parts of the corridor had been allocated to private developers, insisting that no such deal existed.
“Let’s not forget that Senator Ladoja paid compensation. What we are facing now in most cases is double compensation. If the government spends billions of naira to build the 110-kilometre road and we miss the opportunity to develop the area, it would be a tragedy for future generations,” he said.
Drawing a comparison with Lagos, Olanrewaju urged residents to support the project for the sake of economic expansion. “If you drive from Lekki to Ajah in Lagos, you will see real development on both sides. Those companies didn’t just appear, someone foresaw the future and prepared the land. We want Oyo State to experience that same growth,” he said.
