The Oyo State Government has disbursed over ₦5.35 billion as compensation to 578 property owners affected by the first segment of the Ibadan Circular Road project.
The payment, according to the state government, represents significant progress in the implementation of the 32.2-kilometre road project and its commitment to ensuring that residents whose properties were affected receive adequate compensation.
The Executive Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on New Towns and Cities, Mrs. Mofoluke Adebiyi, disclosed this while providing an update on the ongoing compensation exercise.
According to a statement signed by Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, Special Adviser (Media) to Governor Makinde, Mofoluke explained that the affected property owners were classified into two categories: Right of Way (RoW) and Omission.
Under the Right of Way category, which covers properties located within 75 metres on either side of the road median, 674 structures were initially enumerated.
Adebiyi recalled that Governor Makinde had approved a reduction of the initial 150-metre setback to 75 metres in clustered and built-up areas following appeals and concerns raised by residents in the affected communities.
The governor subsequently approved ₦3.862 billion as compensation for property owners under the category.
According to her, 411 claimants have appeared before the Screening Committee, while 378 have completed the required documentation, executed their Deeds of Indemnity and received their payments.
For the Omission category, which comprises property owners who claimed their buildings were affected but were not captured during the initial enumeration, a fresh assessment was conducted by the Oyo State New Towns and Cities Development Authority, in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and the Office of the Surveyor-General.
The exercise identified 251 affected structures, prompting the governor to approve ₦1.814 billion as compensation for the category.
Adebiyi disclosed that 216 property owners had appeared before the Monitoring Team on Payment of Compensation Screening Committee, while 200 claimants had completed the necessary documentation and received a total of ₦1.494 billion.
She noted that the compensation exercise remained ongoing, assuring all eligible property owners that the government would continue to process their claims in accordance with established procedures.
The government adviser further disclosed that 263 claimants under the Right of Way category and 35 under the Omission category were yet to appear before the Screening Committee, while some others were still expected to complete their documentation.
She added that only 16 claimants had experienced unsuccessful payment transactions due to discrepancies between the names submitted during screening and the bank account details provided.
According to her, efforts were ongoing to resolve the discrepancies and ensure that the affected claimants receive their payments.
Adebiyi maintained that the exercise had been conducted transparently and without favouritism, stressing that due process remained the guiding principle.
The first segment of the Ibadan Circular Road stretches 32.2 kilometres, beginning from the Abiola Ajimobi Technical University axis along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Oluyole Local Government Area, passing through Ona Ara Local Government Area and terminating at Badeku Junction on the Ibadan-Ife Expressway in Egbeda Local Government Area.
The state government reiterated its commitment to delivering critical infrastructure while protecting the interests of residents affected by development projects.
