THE residents whose homes and shops were demolished in Mowe, Ofada in Obafemi Owode Local government area of Ogun State have appealed to Governor Ibikunle Amosun to compensate them.

Some of the victims who spoke to The Guardian said the demolition caught them unawares as a result of the neglect of the government towards the road over the years.

Mrs. Modupe Adejare, a resident in the community explains that many people have become homeless as a result of demolition and many shops owners have becomes jobless as a result of the rehabilitation of the road.  “We are not saying government should not develop the area but they are supposed to give us at least three months notice so that people can find other alternatives. We are not in a dictatorship era but a democracy; government should at all times carry citizens along concerning their programmes and policies.

Another victim, Mrs. Sherifat Adebayo says that it has been difficult sustaining her family since the demolition of her shop. “ I had three shops along the road and all the three were demolished. To cater for my family has been very tough because recently my husband also lost his job. It was the proceeds from the shops that were used to cater for my family. And now that government has demolished the shops without any compensation, how do they want us to survive?

Mrs. Lateefat Haruna, a provision seller had both her whose shops and houses. She had had to relocate from Lagos to Mowe due to increase in house rent. “I moved to this area not quite long and all that I have laboured for was just pulled down without prior notice. It is not as if we are unhappy or unsupportive of government’s efforts at developing and rehabilitating the road but there is need for sufficient notice before demolishing the structures. Many people have become jobless and homeless as a result of the exercise,” she says.

A visit by The Guardian revealed that many houses were very close to the road while many houses have been marked for demolition in the area. Residents said that it is close to a month since the government commenced rehabilitation of the road and they have no idea when the exercise will end. “As the rainy season is here now, the road is getting worse daily and Okada riders are cashing in on the situation to hike their fares,” a resident laments.

But a commercial motorcycle rider attributes the increase in fares to the difficulty experienced on the road whenever it rains. “Whenever it rains it is very difficult to ply the road,” he says.

Mr. Suleiman a landlord in the community says this is not the first time a government tries to grade and expand the road but that later they usually abandon I afterwards, as it becomes another abandoned project. “We witnessed the same thing during Gbenga Daniel’s tenure. They graded the road and later left it without completion. I pray that this present administration won’t be like that.”