Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has said there would be no compensation for the Landmark Group for demolition of structures on the ongoing Lagos-Calabar coastal road project.
The Federal Government is currently demolishing properties along the shoreline to create a pathway for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
The Landmark Group, owners of the Landmark beach in Victoria Island, Lagos, is believed to be one of the organisations that will be highly affected by the demolition.
However, Umahi has insisted that infrastructures belonging to Landmark were spared, hence the owner can’t make claims on the Federal Government.
Addressing journalists, the Minister said the beach was on the right of way and shoreline.
He said, “Mr President says that this development must have two factors. One is the fear of God, the second one is human face and that’s what we have tried to do. We’ve taken hard decisions. In some cases, we have followed the gazetted routes.
“In other cases, we have realigned to the coastal line, majorly. And the coastal line from the shore, 250 metres by the Supreme Court judgement belongs to the federal government.
“I talk in particular about Landmark. None of his infrastructure is affected. I agree that there are some people he sublet the place to, but the shoreline was never given to him by the Oniru family, so these people he sublet to, erected some caravans, makeshifts, and so on within the shoreline.
“And if you go to the shoreline, you will see a demarcation of what was given to him and you will see a different colour of the sand and you see because of the sand filling, the point that the sand is a different colour. So, we are dealing with these people that he sublet the shoreline to illegally.
“There is no inhumanity meted to Landmark. That matter should be buried. Quote me anywhere that the shoreline was never given to Landmark and we’ve taken back our shoreline, we are passing the road.”
He, however, assured that the current administration’s compassionate approach will ensure that individuals who are illegally residing on the coastline despite lacking proper infrastructure and documentation will be compensated.
