Lagos Govt Allays Land Owners’ Fears over 4th Mainland Bridge Planned Construction

Segun James

As Lagos state government begins Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) over the construction of the 4th Mainland Bridge, the government yesterday allayed fears of land owners on compensation.

The government gave the assurance at the Panel Review Meeting on the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of the proposed Fourth Mainland Bridge project in Lagos and Ogun states by the Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure held in Lagos.

Speaking at the stakeholders’ forum, the Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Mrs. Aramide Adeyoye said compensation for the landowners would be in line with international best practice.

Adeyoye, who was represented by the Project Director, Engineer Tokunbo Ajanaku said the panel review for the ESIA report on the Lagos fourth mainland bridge project was the final before the project approval at ESIA level.

According to him, the meeting with the stakeholders was very fruitful, adding that, “It is a meeting of co-owners and as such you will see the quality of the input from everybody has been topical of the owner for the project.”

Harping on the issue of compensation, he said, “This project passes through Lagos and Ogun states so it is a Lagos State initiative for Lagos State and Ogun State driven by Mr. Babajide Sanwo-olu and that means all of the corridors within Lagos and those within Ogun State, there is a harmonious and integrated approach to settlement and that is what we will do and each party will be properly compensated, where necessary resettled.

“The approach is going to be holistic I think the issue compensation is not the case it is actually a composite plan to make everybody happy.’’

In his address, the Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdulahi, who was represented by Engineer Gomwalk Celestine, noted that, “despite the laudable benefits associated with the proposed project and considering the biophysical and socio-economic nature of the proposed corridor; the project was envisaged to have significant negative social, economic, health and environmental consequences including resettlement issues for numerous Project Affected Persons (PAPs).

“It is the responsibility of the federal government in collaboration with other tiers of government and relevant regulatory authorities to ensure that these negative impacts are adequately identified and effectively mitigated while the attendant positive impacts are realised for project and environmental sustainability.”

He emphasised that the primary objective of the EIA was to ensure adequate protection of the biophysical and socio-economic environment as well as project sustainability.

“As policymakers, we must ensure adequate provision of an enabling environment for investment in critical infrastructure such as this project for Nigeria to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Nigeria’s commitment to Net Zero by 2060,’’ he said.

Earlier, the panel chairman of the fourth mainland bridge project Prof. Oladapo Afolabi explained that, “The technical people have made their presentation, those areas that have potential impact have been identified and the stakeholders have also raised their concern.

“What we do basically in EIA is to determine where the project should go after which negative impact and balance with positive impact.”