Ogun goes tough on construction of illegal petrol stations

The Ogun State Government said it will demolish any building erected on a flood plain.

The Ogun State Government has reminded individuals and bodies interested in building filling stations in the State that the embargo earlier placed on indiscriminate erection of filling stations is still in force.

The Commissioner for Physical Planning, Adebayo Fari, who gave the reminder during a tour which took him and some officials of the ministry to Ijebu-Ode and the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, counselled that anyone interested must visit the ministry for necessary advise and approval .

Mr. Fari said the reminder became imperative as he ordered that a filling station under construction in Ijegun Street, Ijebu-Ode be sealed off until further notice following the discovery that the owner had contravened the state’s physical planning law.

The Commissioner also gave a similar directive at the Riverview Estate, Isheri along the Lagos / Ibadan Expressway where it was discovered that buildings within the estate were being erected on a flood plain.

He said if allowed the structures would create problems and aggravate flooding during the rainy season, pointing out that this might put a lot of lives in danger.

Mr. Fari said that while government derives no pleasure in demolishing structures, it would not allow some people to hold others to ransom through indiscriminate building of structures which might put the lives and property of others in jeopardy

He warned developers to save themselves the agony of demolition, asking them to approach zonal planning offices in their areas to seek and obtain necessary approvals before starting any construction.

Mr. Fari noted that it was for this reason that his ministry recently created two new zonal offices in Abeokuta and Odogbolu where interested members of the public could be guided and obtain approvals promptly.