Following outcry that have trailed the demolition of structures in Makoko axis of Lagos, the Stae Hpuse of Assembly has ordered the stoppage of the demolition exercise going on at Makoko community waterfront in the State.
The lawmakers said that the decision to stop the demolition exercise is to address concerns raised by residents over the demolition exercise carried out by the Lagos State Government.
The chairman of the Ad-Hoc committee set up by the Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, to imvestogate the issue, Noheem Adams, disclosed this on Tuesday while briefing newsmen on the outcome of investigations carried out on the demolition exercise.
Adams, who is the Leader of the House, read out the resolution of the Committee shortly after stakeholders’ meeting at Lateef Jakande Auditorium in the Assembly premises, Alausa, Ikeja.
Adams said, “On behalf of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa and and on behalf of all 40 members of the House, we are directing that all ministries henceforth should stop work with all demolitions, I repeat, all demolitions in Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro communities should stop from today, all demolitions will start until further notice.
“That the taskforce that was constituted, we want to see the list of the taskforce because we want the residents to be duly involved and to be carried along. So we want to have the schedule of those taskforce and the criteria for those that we are inviting.
“To the residents of Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro communities, as your representatives, we are giving you all assurances that they will stop demolitions henceforth and there will be compensations for all those that their properties have been demolished.”
The Leader went on to ask the audience, “So are you satisfied with the committee’s work or you are not satisfied?” And there was thunderous reply of “We are satisfied.”
Earlier, in the course of interrogating the chairman of Yaba Local Council Development Area, Hon Bayo Adefuye, a member of the Committee, who is the chairman of the House committee on Information and Strategy, Stephen Ogundipe said, “The most important point is that there should be communication even if you are not going there physically. Those you want to help must know the plan you have for them.”
