Discoveries

Fourth mainland bridge: Fed govt to demolish 795 buildings in Lagos

Gov Sanwo-Olu and features of the proposed 4th Mainland Bridge

…assures of proper compensation…

By Ambrose Nnaji

The Federal and Lagos State governments have said about 795 buildings would be demolished to give way for the construction of the proposed 37-kilometre Fourth Mainland Bridge.

The authorities said a lot of efforts had been put in place to reduce the number of affected structures from about 9,000 to less than 800.

More features of the bridge

This was even as the Lagos state government assured that owners of the affected property would be sufficiently compensated, despite the prevailing economy circumstances.

It said all stakeholders would be satisfactorily considered in the execution of the project.

Speaking at the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Stakeholders’ scoping workshop with the Federal Ministry of Environment in Lagos, Environment Minister Mamoud Abubakar said there would be sincere commitment on the part of Lagos State government on the compensation for owners of affected properties.

The minister, who was represented by a Director in the ministry, James Kolawole, explained that though the project would have about 16 alignments, but the best had been selected.

Houses to be demolished

“There was an alignment that will affect about 9,000 structures along the corridor, but we have reviewed it and gone for the alignment that will affect about 795 houses, instead of the one that will take more houses. It is an ongoing thing on how best to minimise the negative impact,” he said.

The State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development said the bridge, which will connect Lagos and Ogun states, will pass through Abraham Adesanya in Lagos and Sparklight Estate near the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State.

A town planner in the ministry, Mr. Abayomi Omolola Amos said the alignment of the project had been carefully designed to reduce the number of houses that should be demolished.