By Damilola Kushimo
The Baale of Oke-Ogbere, High Chief Tajudeen Orilowo Ganiu, has blamed the failure of landlords to comply with the demand of the contractors to move their fences back by six metres as the cause of completing the Community Road drainage project.
He appealed to the landlords to do the needful and called on the state government to give them more time to comply.
Due to the setback, some buildings on the drainage alignment have been partly demolished while some others are marked for demolition.
The project, the construction of Collector Drain on the 1.24 km Community Road beginning from the junction down to the canal, has been abandoned since April as the affected homeowners refuse to cooperate with the contractor handling the project.
As inscribed on the project signboard, the project was scheduled to be completed within six months (December 2020 to May 2021).
The site engineer, Oludare Ojeme, earlier told ECHONEWS in March that the project has reached 40 per cent and that it would be completed before the rainy season.
However, speaking to Echonews, High Chief Ganiu said that the Lagos State Planning Permit Authority has insisted on compliance with the setback rule adding that electric poles on the drainage are also obstructing the project.
He urged the affected homeowners to sacrifice by moving back their fences in the interest of the community and appealed to the state government for handsome compensation to those with necessary documents.
He lamented that the frequent rain has compounded the inconveniences residents and road users suffer while plying the road as he passionately appealed for immediate resumption of work.
A resident of Canal View Estate, Mr Ismaila Bamidele said the community has spent over N850, 000 on trucks of sand to sand fill the entrance of the estate which was affected as a result of the drainage construction.
Meanwhile, the project supervisor, Mrs Owate, told ECHONEWS that the company has called on the government to adjust the rule by amending the clearing alignment for the project to resume for completion.
