The Lagos State House of Assembly has directed the immediate suspension of the ongoing demolition exercise at the Makoko community waterfront.
The announcement was made by Hon. Noheem Adams, chairman of the ad-hoc committee set up by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.
Adams, who is also the Leader of the House, read the committee’s resolution following a stakeholders’ meeting on Tuesday at the Lateef Jakande Auditorium in Alausa, Ikeja.
The decision followed protests by hundreds of displaced Makoko residents at the Assembly last week against the demolition, which had heightened tensions and led to the arrest of some activists who are now undergoing trial.
The state government had stated that the demolition was necessary to ensure safety, as structures were being built beneath high-tension electricity cables.
Adams said, “On behalf of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Mudashiru Obasa 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 task forces 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 compensation for all those whose properties have been demolished.”
The leader went on to ask the audience, “So are you satisfied with the committee’s work or are you not satisfied?” And there was a 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, Hon 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.”
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Special Adviser on E-GIS and Urban Renewal, Dr Babatunde Olajide, who also presented, had said on Monday during a press briefing that the State government would compensate residents of Makoko whose properties had been demolished.
Dr Olajide further disclosed that Governor Sanwo-Olu had set aside $2 million since 2021 for the redevelopment of the Makoko waterfront to meet international standards.
He stated that the State government is already working on a large water city project to redevelop the community, adding, “We have to do it with a human face. We have been working on this since 2021.
“All those people who have been affected have to be compensated, and we have the task force. We are in the process of enumeration, but the first thing to do is to save the people. It is better to be wary than to be late.”
Some of the leaders of the communities who were present maintained that they were no longer interested in NGOs interfering in their affairs.
They agreed that they were capable of handling their issues, especially now that the State House of Assembly had intervened.
In his comment, Baale of Makoko, Shogunro, Iwaya LCDA, High Chief Yusuf Sagra said, “We are here to explain to you our petition to members of the House on what is happening in our communities, and we are happy that they have given us a word of peace, and we are satisfied.”
Also, Chief Orioye Ogungbure said, “I’m happy about this deliberation. I didn’t expect it. If the government continues to go this way whenever people have grievances, it will be okay. This is democracy; our government should continue to listen to the people.”
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