The Oyo State Government has paid out the sum of N200 million to a fresh batch of property owners affected by the ongoing construction on the first segment of the Senator Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road.
Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr Williams Akin-Funmilayo, who handed out the cheques to beneficiaries on Thursday, said they were the fourth batch of beneficiaries to receive compensation from the state government.
Speaking at the Ministry of Lands shortly after giving cheques to scores of property owners, Akin-Funmilayo maintained that the state has now paid compensation to 193 beneficiares out of the 298 property owners affected by the development.
He urged the remaining 105 property owners on the first segment of the project to come forward for screening so they could receive their compensations, stressing that the Governor ‘Seyi Makinde administration would keep to its commitment to ensure that adequate compensations are paid to deserving property owners.
He said: “This is the fourth time we are paying compensation to property owners on the first segment of the Ibadan Circular Road. The total number of property owners and properties affected in that segment is 298.
“We have already paid compensation to 193 property owners and the remaining number is 105. But, as I said earlier, we are still expecting these 105 to come for screening so that we will be able to effect the payment.
“We still have money in our account for this compensation. So, we are expecting them to come around to be screened.
“The rationale behind this screening is for us to ensure that the right beneficiaries are paid. So, we have 105 left and we are ready to pay them. If they show up today, I can guarantee you we will pay them once they are screened.”
The commissioner explained that the state government has, so far, disbursed N780 million out of the N980 million earmarked for compensation to affected property owners.
He added that the state government will leave no stone unturned to ensure that those affected by the project are duly compensated, saying: “As for those people that have refused to come up for screening, we are still expecting them.
“However, we want to carry out enumeration on the field, because we know that some bad eggs might want to impersonate. Hence, we will screen by asking for documents and some other assisting facts.
“We will make public announcements to sensitise those who have not received their compensations to come around and take what is due to them.”
In her response, one of the beneficiaries, who identified herself as Prophetess Funmi Olawale, expressed appreciation to Governor Makinde and the state government over the compensation.
In attendance at the event were the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Audu Ademola Hakim and other top officials.