FG insists on continuous illegal structure demolition in FESTAC, eject squatters

The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) has vowed to continue the demolition of substandard and illegal structures in FESTAC Town, Lagos, noting that some squatters will be relocated.

The Managing Director, Sen Gbenga Ashafa, who was represented by FHA Executive Director, Project Implementation, Mr Chinonso Omoke, stated this during a meeting with stakeholders at the FHA Zonal office, Lagos, on Friday.

Ashafa said, “Though painful but inevitable, we will not fold our hands and cheer the distortion of our master plan under any guise, no matter how highly placed the defaulter might be. Individuals decided to obstruct the major access to 9th Avenue, by directly constructing on the road.

“We have started this sustained exercise of clearing them and negotiations on them are foreclosed. We have also observed that some other buildings in that part of FESTAC are already structurally challenged, so much that in places piling was required, ordinary raft foundations were put in place.”

The managing director assured that the agency would adopt all possible measures to forestall building collapse and forestall any loss of life in FESTAC Town.

The management, he said, may have to consider alternative settlement, but must not compromise professional standards.

According to the NFF, such structures must pass integrity tests; where original allottees’ lands have been taken, compensation must be fully paid, re-survey carried out, penalties paid, before we can re-integrate them into our estate.”

Ashafa revealed that the ongoing restoration would soon be extended beyond 9th Avenue to all parts of FESTAC Town and FHA estates in Lagos and across the nation.

The President, FESTAC Town Residents Association, Mr Shola Fakorede, stated that the demolition exercise was in the interest of the citizenry, adding that those who have encroached on the right of way are deterring development.