The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) has revealed plans to demolish 677 houses and partially demolish 744 others in Phase 2 of Festac Town, Amuwo-Odofin area, Lagos State. Mr. Akintola Olagbemiro, FHA’s South-West Zonal Manager, disclosed this during an assessment visit to the area, citing infringements on building codes and environmental standards by developers.
Despite letters and stakeholder meetings, developers in the area have continued construction on swampy land without meeting the necessary requirements. Olagbemiro expressed concern about the encroachment and illegal development, which has led to the transformation of the area into a slum.
He stated, “We are trying to see how best we can resolve it and make people live in a more serene environment. Unfortunately, there have been cases of illegal developers and land grabbers.”
Francisca Michael-James, Deputy General Manager, FHA, Urban and Regional Planning, Southwest, emphasized that the agency had given residents several notices. However, construction activities persisted without regard for the law. The FHA has now obtained permission to enforce demolitions, targeting structures encroaching on roads and pipelines setbacks.
Michael-James explained, “We will start removing structures from the roads and those on pipelines set back. We will also remove the buildings constructed after the stakeholders’ meetings where we agreed that everyone should wait until we are done with our assessment but some of them continued to build.”
Addressing punishment for contravenors, she mentioned that in accordance with the law, owners of demolished buildings would be penalized, covering the fees for the cost of the operation. The enforcement aims to prevent potential dangers, and the agency will take necessary measures to clear the road and partially demolish structures to ensure compliance with building regulations.
