FG to demolish illegal structures on Ondo highways

THE Federal Government has directed all owners of illegal structures along the federal highways across Ondo State to move them away from the roads.

The Federal Controller of Works in the Ministry of Works and Housing, Mr Olajide Olubakinro, cautioned that failure to do so would lead to demolition of such structures.

Olubakinro berated the increasing rate of construction of illegal structures along the highways, saying this was against the road regulations and could also lead to road crashes.

He stated this during the sensitisation programme by government officials in some parks and markets along federal highways in Ondo State on Wednesday.

Olumakinde explained that the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Raji Fashola, had directed that the sensitisation programme should be held in order to educate the people on the dangers in parking or building illegal structures close to the expressway.

For the programme, the Federal Government’s team visited Shaha markets along Owo-Akure Expressway, Ado Park along Ado-Ekiti-Akure Expressway, Ondo-Akure Expressway, among other places.

He said, “We are here to sensitise our people on the danger in encroaching the Federal Government highways. From the centre of the road to the road shoulder it is 150 feet, yet people have encroached the road corridor.

“When next we are coming back, we will come back with law enforcement agents to demolish the illegal structures along the road on the right one way.”