Obe assures community of benefits of cemetery project
By Olusola Okewole
Ejigbo LCDA chairman, Hon. Monsuru Obe has assured residents in Morning Star area that the proposed cemetery project of the local government will bring development to them.
Speaking in reaction to agitation by some residents of the community against the project, Obe said the project is in fulfilment of the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution which mandates local governments to build and maintain cemeteries.
He said every local authority is expected to provide spaces for maternity clinics to enable the birth of newborns and cemeteries to provide a resting place for the dead.
He said the project will also discourage the practice of people burying their dead in the homes thus exposing the community to possible environmental challenges and frustrating real estate transactions as such houses cannot be sold without ultimately relocating the graves to the cemetery.
He said as a government-owned cemetery, the highest standards of land preparation and management shall be adopted to ensure adequate distance from the aquifers in the area in compliance with the regulations of the Ministry of Environment.
Obe said the architectural and environmental design includes provision for family vaults and a foyer for burial services.
Noting that it would be irresponsible not to provide a cemetery for the increasing population in the LCDA, he said many residents currently patronize the cemeteries of other local governments such as Ikoyi- Obalende, Yaba, Ayobo-Ipaja, and Igbogbo-Baiyeku and pay huge amount which enhance the internally generated revenue of such councils.
“The cemetery will also contribute to the internally generated revenue of the council and enable us to complete government projects in the community, build more roads and culverts.”
Some residents of the community had embarked on a march to express their objection to siting the cemetery in the area on Sunday.
They want the government to relocate to any other location.
They engaged the former chairman of the LCDA, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan at his residence on Onaiwamimo Street, Ejigbo.
Bamigbetan explained that building a cemetery was in line with the functions of local governments and advised them to discuss how the community could benefit from the project with the chairman, Hon. Monsuru Obe.
The Chairman of Tiwadire Community Development Association (CDA), Mr. Oludare Agboola, told our correspondent that the residents started reacting after reading in one of the February editions of ECHONEWS Newspaper, where it was reported that Ejigbo LCDA was planning to have a cemetery at Morning Star Street.
Agboola combined that the community would be affected by the odour that may emanate from the cemetery if not well managed.
