Posted by By Kazeem Ugbodaga on
Governor Babatunde Fashola has promised to relocate residents of Better Life Community, a slum in Makoko area of Yaba, Lagos.
Governor Babatunde Fashola has promised to relocate residents of Better Life Community, a slum in Makoko area of Yaba, Lagos.
Residents of the slum community have agreed to be resettled in another area of the state.
The governor, who visited the area yesterday to inspect facilities, was surprised that people lived in such an environment.
He expressed displeasure at the condition of the people and said the slum environment was not a place for human beings to reside.
'Slums are not places for people to live, especially those who have children because of the diseases and sicknesses caused by stagnant water and mosquito bites,' he stated.
The governor said there was a need to discuss with the residents on the need to relocate them to a place with modern facilities because their consent was need.
'I have to seek your consent on this because resettling people elsewhere in the past had proved difficult,' he told the community representatives, who have lived in the area for years.
The community has agreed to vacate the area for a new place, though the government is yet to reveal the new location to them.
It is expected that after the residents have been relocated, the state government would redevelop the slum into a modern residential area.
Also, the authorities of the Army Central Ordinance department, Yaba, has approved the demolition of its perimeter fence by the state government to allow for the construction of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lane along the Murtala Muhammed way.
Fashola said he had discussed with the Army authorities and the state government had been given the go ahead to demolish the fence for the construction of the BRT lane.
The governor also inspected City Hall on Lagos Island, which is being reconstructed by Arab Contractor. He urged the contractor to make use of quality materials to construct the place.