By Adeyinka Adeniran
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde has assured the residents affected by the Ibadan Circular Road corridor that no further demolition of houses and property will be done on the corridor.
The governor also said all the existing structures within the 150metres corridor will be integrated in the plans of the government.
He however warned that no further development in terms of laying of founding and erecting of buildings should be done on any land within the corridor.
Makinde gave the assurance on Monday while addressing thousands of the affected residents who stormed the Oyo State government Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan in protest.
The protesters carried placards, banners and sang appeal songs to plead for the stoppage of the 500meters corridor on each side of the Ibadan Circular Road by the government.
Corenews reports that the protesters laid siege on the Secretariat for three consecutive days last week and vowed to continue on Monday and not stop until they are addressed by Governor Makinde.
Addressing the protesters, the governor commended them for been orderly and qell coordinated in their approach.
He said the government of the say was put in place by the people and not by any godfather, hence the need to always listen to the people since the government is theirs.
He assured the people that the 500meters corridor on both side of the road was not his doing but those of past administrations before him, adding that many people never believe that the project will see the light of the day.
He further warned them not to fall for the antics of those who would want to play politics with everything by pushing them to go against the government.
Assuring the people that no house on the corridor will be demolished, but would rather be integrated in the plan, the governor said enumeration of existing structures will be done jointly by both the leadership of the affected residents and government.
He warned that lands with no structures on them as at the time of the meeting must not be seen with new structures.
Speaking shortly with journalists after the meeting, Governor Makinde said there were a lot of misinformation and misconceptions about the corridor.
Makinde said “What I told them was that, this is their government. We are not here because of any godfather but because the people of Oyo state were the ones who put this administration in place.
“I think there has been a lot of misconception, misinformation on the matter. What they said to me was that they want the circular road but they don’t want the corridor and I said yes.
“We must plan. The corridor they talked about, 500meters to the right, 500meters to the left, this administration did not bring that on board. It was the previous administrations.
“However, I told them, they must remain law abiding and that anyone who has a building standing, outside of the initial 150metres, those people will be integrated. We won’t demolish any of the buildings outside of the 150metres that are already existing.
“But from now forward, don’t start laying your foundation withing the corridor because we must plan that place and those that are already existing, we will integrate them.”
He added that he was aware of another group planning to stage another protest on the grounds that they want development on the corridor but had to persuade them not to stage the protest to avoid a situation where both group will be attacking each other.
“We all have right to protests. In as much as they have rights to peaceful protests, others that are looking for developments also have rights to protest but we don’t want confusion, and we don’t want us attacking each other, so I have appealed to them to please got home, let the people know and further enumeration we will do jointly with the community”, he added.
Reacting to the development, the coordinator of the protesters, Prince Niyi Fasoye commended the governor for finally coming to clear the dust on the matter
He said the words from the fovernoe has given reassurances to the people, and nailing the issue.
He said with the development, the protesters cam now bonhomie and rest, expressing readiness of the residents to work with the government as proposed by the Governor.
Fasuyi said “We thank God today, the governor granted our request. He came and addressed the people and he has assured us that apart from the 75 meters right and left that has been cleared that another 75 meters right and left would be taken more to make 150 meters right, 150 meters left.
“But he has promised that all the standing houses structured none would be demolished. He has also promised that nobody would have the negative effect of the cecular road.
“We thank his Excellency for what he has said. We’re calling all the government officials to key into what his Excellency has said so that at the long run all the entire resident of Ibadan would be happy.
“And we look forward to the round table meeting the governor has called, the government officials and the corridor residence executives would sit down and further discuss the modalities about the corridor on Ibadan Circular Road.
“With this we will put an end to this protest, pending the time we hear the outcome of the committee, the documentation between the government officials and the executive of the corridor residence of Ibadan Circular Road road”
