16th December, 2010
Over a hundred roadside shops were demolished yesterday at Akute, a suburb of Ogun State.
The demolition exercise was carried out by a construction outfit, OGROMA, on the directive of the Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.
P.M.NEWS gathered that the shops were demolished so that the major road linking Ajuwon and Olambe can be expanded.
According to the ward councillor in the area, Mr. Ajuwon Nurudeen, the traders have been notified about the exercise.
“We have been on this project for a while now, so this is just the appropriate time to carry it out. The governor wants to expand this road and that is why he sent the OGROMA team to carry out the demolition,†Mr. Nurudeen said.
However, some of the affected traders described the incident as an unfortunate one.
“Yes, they notified us some months ago that there will be a demolition exercise but we did not expect it so soon. Besides, doing such thing at this period is very wrong because most of us had spent money buying wares for the yuletide. This is unfair,” one of the affected traders, who identified himself as Mr. Chigozie, told P.M.NEWS.
Another trader, Alhaja Bilikis, told our reporters that they were not against the government’s plan towards expanding the road to ease traffic in the area but felt  the manner in which the order was carried out was wrong.
She said: “Of course, we will all be happy if the road is expanded. After all, it is for the benefit of the society, but the notice they gave us was too short.â€
—Bayo Adetu & Dedeigbo Ayodeji
