Tpl. Olatunji Odunlami, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Ogun State, has reiterated the commitment of the state government to zero-tolerance for illegal building constructions and shanties, which pose dangers to the peace and sanctity of the citizenry.
Odunlami stated this during a routine enforcement exercise by the Central Monitoring Unit of the Ogun State Planning and Development Permit Authority (OGPDPA) in Abeokuta South Local Government, and around interchange area of Abeokuta-Sagamu expressway.
Represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Physical Planning Compliance and Enforcement, Mr. Babatunde Olugbewesa, the Commissioner noted that government was committed to make life more abundant to the people by ensuring that the physical environment developed in a functional and sane manner for posterity’s sake.
The Acting General Manager, Ogun State Planning and Development Permit Authority (OGPDPA), Tpl. James Idowu, while addressing newsmen on the clearing of kiosks and shanties in front of African Church Grammar School (Afrograms) at Ita Iyalode, noted that commercial activities around public school premises posed an unsightly look to visitors and a distraction to students, noting the kiosks and illegal structures at the entrance of the school had been given adequate notices before the enforcement exercise.
“There is no way government can embark on enforcement without prior notices. The illegal structures have even been sealed before, but the owners removed the seal and continued trading, which is an added offence to the illegal erection of buildings,” James stated.
The enforcement exercise also involved the clearing of the illegal shanties around the interchange area of the Abeokuta-Sagamu expressway, which the owners had been served notices to vacate repeatedly over the past few years without any compliance.
“We should not condone illegality, no matter the state of the economy. Shanties are not encouraged anywhere in the state, as they pose environmental hazard to the immediate environment through poor hygiene and the possibility of outbreak of diseases, but people take advantage of the industries along the expressway to build shanties, which is not encouraged in the state,” the Acting General Manager warned.
