Scores of residents of game village estate in Eric-More Surulere, yesterday protested the illegal sale of their sewage plant and erection of structures at the site.
The protesters, who were led by Johnson Oguns, the chairman of the Community Development Association (CDA) of the Games village, carried placard with different inscription, urging the federal government to intervene and save them from environmental challenges that may result from the destruction of the sewage plant.
Speaking in an interview with Journalists, Ogun said the property at the village was sold to them by the federal Government in 2006, but that they had little issue with the sewage plant which was connected to all the properties in the community recently, but while repair work was about to commence, some persons in 2014 showed up and claimed that the property housing
Ogun wondered why the company would commence construction on the sewage site when there was an existing Court order that there should be stay of execution from both parties.
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According to him, “What we are saying is that government should intervene and save us from impending epidemic that may arise from the tempering of the sewage plant of the game village Surulere. We had taken the case to Court and they say there should be stay of execution on this matter. But the company come and work here in the night and use police to scare the residents away.
“Can a house be sold to a party and sell toilet to another party? Who authorized the sales? What are the roles of Fed Min of Works and Housing Officials in the sales?
“Why did they bypass the Presidential Implementation Committee before selling the sewage plant? Meanwhile, the PIC was empowered by the federal Government to dispose of all federal government properties. If there is going to be any sales at all, the PIC should be in charge,” he said.
Also speaking on the issue, a concern stakeholder and a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Moshood Salvador, said the health challenges associated with the improper disposal of waste had compelled expatriates who were residing in the village to relocate and called on the Federal government to call the Princely estate owner, Segun Ogunlewe, to order.
Salvador said that Lagos State government had in 2013 expanded the plant to serve the whole of Surulere, because it was designed for expansion.
He wondered why a former Director in the Ministry of Works, Olojede and Ayankoya allegedly connived with Segun Ogunlewe, owner of Princely Company Limited, to sell the proper.
“Eric Moore towers comprising of 144 flats was sold to my company, Dock Management Nigeria limited, strictly directed by the White Paper of the Federal Government, and gazette. High rising buildings were sold to corporate organisations for proper management of facilities, while low cost houses were sold to sitting tenants.
“They were 340 flats of red bricks, 120 flats of pilot close and 100 other flats, with a community made up about 5,000 residents,” he said.
Another resident of the estate, Doyin Olajide said though the federal government sold the houses to them, while the land belong to the Lagos State and that the residents had been paying tenement rate to the state, while urging the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene on the issue.
