"DANA PLANE DAMAGED MY HOUSE NOW GOVT WANTS TO MAKE ME HOMELESS"- WIDOW LAMENTS

The Dana Air crash that consumed the lives of 153 persons on June 3, 2012 left many residents of Iju/Ishaga, a community on the outskirts of Lagos State, in a pathetic condition. Apart from about four persons who died on the ground, many who were lucky to escape with their lives lost their belongings.

But as issues over compensation for the crash victims’ families as well as the court cases surrounding the incident linger, the Lagos suburb is in the news again.

This time around, bulldozers have rolled into the area to pull down structures and buildings to make way for some new roads.

Early last week, a notice was served on affected residents. Pasted on their gates was the message that the state government had awarded the contract for the construction of the network of roads to Messrs HFP Engineering Nigeria Limited and that the contractor was about to commence work.

Signed by Mrs. I. A. Olukoko, the notice reads in part, “Your structure, fence wall, shop, kiosk, building etc fall within the road right of way. Consequently, there is the need to remove same to facilitate early completion of the project. It will therefore be appreciated if the removal of the structure be effected within three days of this notice.”

But for those whose buildings and shops are affected by the ongoing exercise, there is cause for despair.

The story of Alhaja Ramota Akinwusi, a 70-year-old widow seems to be the most pathetic.

While taking Saturday PUNCH around her house on Poopola Street, which is adjacent to the crash site, Akinwusi said she was yet to get over the traumatic experience of the crash. However, her major concern now is this fresh challenge.

Akinwusi claimed the crash affected a part of her house which she rebuilt recently.

“I didn’t get any form of compensation. Dana did not compensate me; the government didn’t compensate me either. My house was deeply affected and I just had to rebuild some parts of it recently with my money,” Akinwusi said.

She stated that her property was also stolen during the crash and she lost some valuables to hoodlums and robbers.

“When the crash happened, there was nobody in the house but me because my tenants ran away. As a result, some robbers came here and catered away some of my goods and valuables,” she said.

Akinwusi said she had owned the property for more than 30 years and she doesn’t know where to go now that the government said her structure would be demolished.

“I am the only one that was able to build a house in my family. Now that they want to demolish this place, I don’t know where they expect me to go. Is it because I am a lonely old woman? Before the crash, nobody thought of fixing this road. How come the government suddenly remembered that this road ought to be fixed?” she said.

A tailor, whose shop at Olaniyi Street will also be pulled down in the course of the road reconstruction, said he was not paid any form of compensation.

He, however, said he would comply with the government’s directive any time soon.

“Ah! Who am I to fight with the government? I was not given a dime but I will still pull down my shop and the fence. My house was not marked for demolition. I am still waiting for them to start work on this area before I know what to do,” he said.

At Idowu Williams Street, where the construction commenced, heavy duty vehicles were seen on the road while workers were also carrying out their duties in earnest.

This is to ensure that the project is concluded before the first anniversary of the crash in June.

Apart from the workers, residents were seen in groups discussing the ongoing construction.

Among them is the Chairman of the Akande Community Development Authority, Mr. Adewale Oriowo, who said he and the executive members of the CDA had to be on the ground to make sure that things were going on smoothly in the area.

Akande said residents were complying fully with the government’s directive by pulling down their structures in order to ensure the workers did not encounter any difficulty.

“We have been asking the government to come to our aid and help develop this community since 2001. I’ll say the crash is partly responsible for the government coming to us eventually. We are so happy concerning this latest development.

“We have been spending money trying to fix this road on our own. We live in fear anytime it rains because the level of the flood would get to the waist. Our roads are really bad.

“Apart from that, the crash site has become a den for robbers. The community lives in fear constantly since after the crash because robbers and hoodlums have turned the crash to their hide out. They rob people of their belongings early in the morning and they take off for other operations from there. With this new development, we are sure the site will be a no-go area for robbers again.”

Concerning the old widow whose building would eventually be pulled down as a result of the ongoing road construction, the CDA chairman said, “Her case is quiet pathetic, but there is really nothing we can do. What if the plane had landed on her house and demolished it? If I were her, I would have packed out of that place since,” he said.

A landlord at Ogunsaya Street, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said he was pleased with the ongoing project.

“I had to pull down my fence and some of my structures. There was nothing I could do. But I don’t particularly feel bad. As you can see, our roads are impassable. We dread the forthcoming rainy season. But with this new development, I believe this community will boast of good roads and the issue of flood will become a thing of the past,” he said.