FESTAC TOWN DEMOLITION HALTED AS ASHAFA, FHA BOWS TO PRESSURE

PUSH NEWS 24 INTERNATIONAL : February 5th, 2022

Gbenga Ashafa, the managing director, Federal Housing Authority (FHA), says the agency will reconsider its stand on the ongoing demolition of encroachments in FESTAC Town and regularise buildings with less infractions.

“We will go on to consider all professional and safety measures to salvage as much as we can without endangering lives,” Mr Ashafa said.

The FHA had vowed to sustain the demolition of illegal construction in FESTAC Town, with residents and property owners making appeals.

Mr Ashafa, at a meeting with stakeholders, said his administration listened to pleas of encroachers who ignorantly built illegally on government land to reduce their losses, even though “we see it as an unacceptable excuse.”

Represented by Chinonso Omoke, FHA Executive Director of Project Implementation, he assured that all houses to be considered must pass the required integrity checks to be carried out by professionals.

Mr Ashafa promised to uphold the federal government’s mandate of providing affordable and accessible housing for all Nigerians.

“Buildings on layouts, canals, roads would have to go. All the buildings must pass integrity tests. They would have to be certified by FHA standard,” he noted.

The heads of FHA’s Engineering, Survey, and Architecture Departments took turns explaining the dangers the illegal structures posed, including flooding, environmental degradation, and sanitation issues capable of causing epidemics.

They, however, promised to salvage as many structures as possible without compromising standards, noting that angles of some buildings may be chopped off while others may be demolished.

Additional story from NAN.

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