4th Lagos Mainland Bridge: Stakeholders express worries

As the Lagos State gov¬ernment makes efforts to engage various commu¬nities in finding ways of reducing the likely envi¬ronmental and social im¬pact of the proposed 4th Mainland Bridge project, potential stakeholders have expressed their fear of demolition as well as non-compensation for at-risk individuals.

These communities, which were part of those visited by the state govern¬ment in the week, in its 4th Mainland Bridge ongoing Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (EIA) programme included: Bayeku Ayetoro, Agunfoye, Igbogbo, Egbe, Elepe, Erun¬wen. Others are: Itamaga, Sawmill (Sagamu Road), Eyita/Ojokoro, Agric-Owu¬tu, Ishawo and Tapa, all in Ikorodu.

Besides the issue of demolition and compensa¬tion for those to be affected by the construction, oth¬er concerns bordering on traffic management, flood¬ing, engaging artisans and professionals within their communities, project du¬ration, ensuring synergy with contractors of other ongoing road construction projects in the axis, fear of project abandonment, as well as fear of the presence of tollgates after construc¬tion, were also raised.

One Elder Onitiri re¬quested to know the number of tollgates that would be mounted after construction so as to ascertain whether their problems were being solved or heightened.

Specifically, officials of LASPOTECH who claimed that between 80 to 100 plots of land were taken from the institution, asked what would be given back to the school in exchange for what was being taken.  (Daily Independent)