LAGOS—Under the direction of Mrs. Stella Okengwu, Nigerians living abroad have petitioned the National Assembly against the alleged failure to provide compensation for investments destroyed during the construction of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway at Okun Ajah, Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Lagos State.
The case, filed under Winhomes Estate Global Services Limited on behalf of impacted investors, expressed worries about how the federal highway project would effect around 18 hectares of land, including buildings, that were allegedly impacted during construction.
The petition, titled “Petition Against the Federal Ministry of Works in Respect of Its Refusal to Pay Compensation to Winhomes Estate Global Services Limited,” was sent to Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President. On behalf of Winhomes Estate Global Services Limited, Maverick Forte Legal wrote it.
Winhomes Estate is a legally recognized corporate business that develops mass housing and estates, according to the solicitors, who also mentioned that it attracted foreign direct investment to its landed holdings in Okun Ajah. According to them, the corporation has registered interests in a number of land parcels, which are backed by land registry documents, certificates of occupancy, and an April 22, 2022, deed of assignment approved by the Lagos State Attorney-General.
They further asserted that a letter dated April 16, 2024, from the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development attested to the property’s lack of any right of way. They claimed that despite this, no compensation was given for the land damage caused by construction.
They urged the Senate to form an ad hoc committee to look into the matter and order the Federal Ministry of Works to compensate according to the going rate in the market.
The petition was acknowledged as received by the Office of the Clerk to the National Assembly, which also recommended that it be forwarded to the relevant committee for further action.
