The Federal and Lagos State governments have said that about 795 houses might be demolished in order to pave way for the construction of the 37-kilometres Fourth Mainland Bridge.
This was revealed at the Environmental Social Impact Assessment Stakeholders’ Scoping Workshop on the project in Lagos by the Minister of Environment, Mahmoud Abubakar.
The Federal Government said a lot of efforts had been made to reduce the number of affected houses from the initial 9,000 to 795.
Abubakar, who was represented by a director in the ministry, James Kolawole, said there should be a sincere commitment on the part of the Lagos State Government on compensation for the affected families.
According to Abubakar “There is an alignment that should 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 minimize the negative impact.”
He added that the bridge would boost the state’s economic growth and enhance international trade.
Abayomi Amos, a town planner, who spoke on behalf of the state Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, stated that the bridge would connect Lagos and Ogun states and would also link the Abraham Adesanya Estate area in Lagos and Sparklight Estate near the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State.
