Deborah Adegoke 
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday, presented various cheques worth N500 million to owners of properties demolished to give way for the construction of the ongoing Igbogbo-Igbe Road Expansion Road project.
Among the affected property owners who received the cheques include Nollywood actor, Babatunde Omidina, popularly called “Baba Suwe”.
The governor, who also commissioned the newly upgraded Ijede Road, presented the cheques in various sums to the affected property owners.
Baba Suwe got the sum of N3.1 million as compensation for his demolished property, while Malok Petrol Station got N100 million, Stir Oil and Gas Petrol got N36 millions, Igbe Central Mosque Degolu Junction got N8 million.
Sanwo-Olu explained that the commissioned road was the first phase of 6.05 kilometers upgraded Ijede Road (Itamaga to Ewu Elepe). Ijede Road is a major strategic road that cuts across four Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), the only road leading to Ijede, Gberigbe, Agura Towns and other 37 communities in Ikorodu Local Government.
According to the governor, the completion of the road was a promise fulfilled, stressing that his administration had delivered yet another road that would make life more comfortable and meaningful for citizens
Sanwo-Olu said: “In December 2019, we were here to flag-off the extensive rehabilitation works on Ijede Road. On that occasion, I made a promise that the contractor would immediately move to site and that the project would be delivered in 18 months.
“At that time, we did not envisage the devastating impact of the COVID 19 pandemic and the effect of the ensuing lockdown on the way we work and implement our projects.
“We also did not envision the EndSARS protests that degenerated into the wanton destruction of lives and properties.
“Despite these challenges, and the dwindling financial resources of the state, brought about by the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic on private and public sector businesses, we have, however, kept our promise and the rehabilitated Ijede Road (Itamaga-Ewu Elepe Section) is being delivered today as scheduled.
“Today, we will also present compensation cheques to some of the affected people whose properties had to give way for the Igbogbo-Igbe Road Expansion Project. This speaks to the fact that ours is a responsive government alive to its responsibilities to deliver the greatest good to the greatest number.
“Not only are we interested in bequeathing this major road infrastructure to the people of Ikorodu, we are even more determined to ensure that we do this in the most honorable way, by ensuring that those whose properties have had to make way for this project to be realized are appropriately, and transparently, compensated.”
