The Federal Government has raised the compensation amount for property owners impacted by the construction of Section 1, Phase 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
The compensation sum has been increased from the original N8 billion to approximately N18 billion.
This was announced by the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, at a stakeholders’ engagement regarding the ongoing construction of Phase 1, sections 1 and 2 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway on Sunday in Lagos.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, this decision was made to ensure fair compensation for the affected citizens.
Umahi said: “The Federal Executive Council initially approved N8 billion for this corridor, but today we are hitting N18 billion, and this is just for section one.”
He stated that the compensation amounts were justified, determined by independent experts, and would be publicly disclosed along with property details to promote transparency.
Emphasising the government’s commitment to transparency, Umahi mentioned that half of the compensation has already been disbursed to the affected individuals.
The minister also promised to complete the compensation process within the next 10 days.
However, some stakeholders, including lawyers and valuation experts, voiced their dissatisfaction with the process.
They contended that the compensation was insufficient and that the procedures did not adhere to established standards.
A lawyer and valuation expert, Olusola Enitan, stated that the compensation did not meet the required standards.
He said, “Someone who had a home is now renting with no ability to replace what was taken from him.”
He referenced several Supreme Court rulings that support the right to fair compensation.
In response to these concerns, Umahi assured that the Federal Ministry of Works was operating within legal parameters and was willing to review any documents presented to expedite the compensation process.
