Get Guardian on GoogleThe Oyo State Government has paid over ₦5.35 billion in compensation to 578 property owners affected by the first segment of the Ibadan Circular Road project.
The Executive Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on New Towns and Cities, Mrs Mofoluke Adebiyi, disclosed this while providing an update on the compensation exercise.
She said the payments covered property owners under the Right of Way (RoW) and Omission categories, adding that the government remained committed to ensuring that all eligible claimants received their entitlements.
The first segment of the 32.2-kilometre road stretches from the Abiola Ajimobi Technical University axis on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Oluyole Local Government Area, through Ona Ara Local Government Area, to Badeku Junction on the Ibadan-Ife Expressway in Egbeda Local Government Area.
Adebiyi explained that the Right of Way category covered properties located within 75 metres on either side of the road median, with 674 structures initially enumerated.
She said Governor Makinde approved the reduction of the initial 150-metre setback to 75 metres in clustered and built-up areas following appeals and concerns raised by residents of the affected communities.
According to her, the governor approved ₦3.862 billion as compensation for property owners in the category.
She disclosed that 411 claimants had appeared before the Screening Committee, while 378 had completed the necessary documentation, executed their Deeds of Indemnity, obtained clearance and received their payments.
On the Omission category, which comprises property owners who claimed that their buildings were affected by the project but were not captured during the initial enumeration, Adebiyi said a fresh assessment identified 251 affected structures.
She explained that the Oyo State New Towns and Cities Development Authority (OYNTCDA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and the Office of the Surveyor-General, conducted the exercise.
She said the government approved ₦1.814 billion as compensation for property owners identified under the category.
Adebiyi added that 216 claimants had appeared before the Monitoring Team on Payment of Compensation Screening Committee, while 200 had completed the required documentation, executed their Deeds of Indemnity and received a total of ₦1.494 billion.
She also disclosed that 263 claimants under the Right of Way category and 35 under the Omission category were yet to appear before the screening committee.
The adviser explained that some other claimants were still expected to fulfil documentation requirements before they could receive final clearance and payment.
She also revealed that 16 claimants had experienced unsuccessful payment transactions due to discrepancies between the names submitted during screening and the bank account details provided.
According to her, efforts were ongoing to resolve the discrepancies and facilitate payment to the affected property owners.
Adebiyi assured residents that the compensation exercise had been conducted transparently, fairly and without favouritism, stressing that due process remained the guiding principle.
