The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has announced that the Federal Government will pay N2.75 billion in compensation to property owners affected by the destruction necessary for the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which spans channels 0 to 3.
He presented this information at a stakeholders gathering in Lagos State on Wednesday.
He said, “To show sympathy for people who voted for Mr. President, we would do everything possible to pay the human face compensation.
“Today, we are paying over N2bn in compensation just from channel 0 to channel 3.”
Umahi stated that the money being provided was a flag-off for ten people and that the remaining individuals should be compensated through the Money Committee Secretariat.
He added, “All tenants within the Landmark premises today have all been shortlisted, and they will get the alerts by 2:00 pm.
“Most of them are here, and that closes the politics of Landmark.
The minister referred the remaining uncompensated property owners to the compensation committee.
“All the people should meet with the committee.
“The committee will be sitting from 2:00 pm so that you will sign your documents in the form of indemnity and you will get your alert tomorrow before 2:00 pm.”
Laotan Olamuyiwa of Checkmate; Kemi Osinibi of Landmark Kids Club by Maxtivity; Mide Adegbite and Peter Oladipupo of FX Lounge; Bukola Oloko and Abiodun Oguntunde of Xchange Lagos; Dapo Oniru of Moist Beach; Mustapha Olatunji of G12 Beach; Dr. Bashir Oshodi, and Bestrock.
The Federal Controller of Works for Lagos State, Olukorede Kesha, stated that the aforementioned property owners were the first 10 to be rewarded and that other compensations would follow.
Speaking with one of the compensated property owners, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, she revealed that they had signed an agreement requiring them not to speak about the matter.
In March, the Federal Government began construction of the 700-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which will go across nine states and include two spurs to the Northern States.
Umahi said that the road would be built with a concrete surface.
The next month, the government formed a commission to study, analyse, and compensate landowners affected by the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Motorway building project.
Umahi stated that the committee’s primary responsibilities included verifying claimant eligibility, assessing the dimensions of affected properties, and determining appropriate compensation amounts.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
