By Funke Oduwole

 

Faced with the reality and fear of being stripped of their family heritage without adequate compensation or proper resettlement plans, indigenes of villages and communities whose land were acquired by the Lagos State government for the Lekki Free Trade Zone, LFTZ, project are currently boiling with anger against the state government over non-implementation of the memorandum of understanding. MoU, signed, threatening to stall the successful take off of operation.

The state government came up with the idea of establishing the free trade zone as part of its development agenda to transform the economy of the state by exploring its business and investment potential.  

To achieve its aim, the Lagos State government acquired about 16,500 hectares of land across some communities between Ibeju-Lekki and Epe local government areas. The stretch of land by the Atlantic in the Lekki axis is referred to as Parcel A while Parcel B falls within Epe Local Government area of the state. Before the land was released to the state government by the community, a MoU was signed between the government and accredited representatives of the affected communities.

The MoU which was administered by Fola Arthur-Worrey, commissioner for lands, Lagos State and signed by the Issa Suennu, chairman, Ibeju–Lekki, Segun Jawando, chairman, Lekki Worldwide Investment Limited, LWIL, the company representing the interest of Lagos State government in the LFTZ project, also mandated the state government to set up or ensure the establishment of a resettlement committee comprising representatives of the state

government, the local government council, the LWIL and affected  villages  and communities to plan, design, implement, monitor and evaluate the resettlement of individuals and families that may be affected by the LFTZ project.