Following protests by residents and advocacy groups, Lagos State House of Assembly has ordered an immediate suspension of ongoing demolitions in Makoko.
Rising from a meeting between the lawmakers and representatives of the Makoko communities at the Assembly Complex in Alausa, Ikeja, on Tuesday, where the Majority Leader of the House, Noheem Adams, issued a directive to halt the demolitions.
“On behalf of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, and honourable members of this house, we are taking this matter seriously. All the ongoing demolitions should be stopped,” Hon. Adams said.
He added that the Assembly would work with relevant ministries and agencies to review issues surrounding the demolitions and ensure all stakeholders are properly engaged.
The Majority Leader called for transparency by demanding the full list of taskforce members and criteria used for the engagement, adding, “We want to see the list of the taskforce that was constituted because want the residents to be dully involved and to be carried along. So we want to have schedule of those taskforces and criteria for those we are inviting.”
Hon. Adams assured residents of the affected communities that, “As your representatives we are giving you all assurance that they will stop demolitions henceforth and there will be compensations for all those whose properties have been demolished.
Similarly, Hon. Stephen Ogundipe, members of the ad – hoc committee said there is need for clear communication, adding that residents targeted for relocation or redevelopment must be informed of the government’s plan in advance.
Babatunde Olajide, Special Adviser to the Governor on E – GIS and Urban Renewal, confirmed that $2 million had been earmarked since 2021 to transform Makoko into a modern international compliant water city.
He said enumeration of affected properties is underway and reiterates administration’s commitment to handling the situation with human face, prioritize prioritizing resident safety and fair compensation.
