Osborne Residents Seek Sanwo-Olu’s Intervention in Estate Dispute

Tobi Soniyi

Residents of Osborne Foreshore Two Estate have appealed to the Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu to order that works on all approvals for development in the estate be suspended for three months because of the ongoing review of the approval order.

They particularly want a property development firm
Lekki Gardens/ Foreshore Waters Limited which they accused of violating existing plan to stop work forthwith.
In a statement they issued yesterday, the residents warned that refusal to stop further work might lead to a breakdown of law and order.

In its bid to ensure an amicable resolution of the dispute, the Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Idris Salako had held a meeting with all the stakeholders.
The residents appealed to the governor to protect their interest.

They said: “We once again invite your Excellency to visit our estate to see for yourself how the activities of Richard Nyong will one day lead to a breakdown of law and order if this brazen disregard of planning laws of Lagos States is allowed to continue.”
They accused the developer of violating state’s planning laws in its quest to construct multi-storey structures in the expansive residential estate.

The residents also accused Richard Nyong, Lekki Gardens Estate, Foreshore Waters Limited of alleged “flagrant and unchecked violation of officially approved building plans.”
The relationship between Lekki Gardens and the management of the Estate turned bad after it insisted that the property developer obeys building permit laws given to it by both the Lagos State government and the resident association.

According to the management of the Estate other developers have since complied with the guidelines while Lekki Gardens had allegedly refused to do so.
Chairperson of Osborne Foreshore Resident Association, Mrs Chinwe Ezenwa-Mbah, had recently complained about the effect of the heavy construction by Lekki Gardens and other developers and how it is affecting the house of other residents in the area.

She said that there was a need to take a look at the approval order so as to limit the damaging situation.
“When we got our plots, we were told that the place was designed as a low population residential area. We did not know that a time would come when this area would become a commercial area.

“When you come into an existing estate and you are doing piling that is breaking your neighbours foundations as well as against the approved plan given to you in the name of commercial development,that is not right.”
Several other landlords and Residence of Osborne Foreshore 11, have also complained about the activities of lekki gardens and other developers in the area who they accused of violating the building permit given to them by the government.

The residents appealed to the Lagos State government for the reversion of the original master plan of the wrongful classification of Osborne Foreshore Phase II from a low-density to a high-density residential estate.
They also called for the removal of all infractions after payment of penalties as well as ensuring that the developer comply with relevant physical planning requirements and building approvals.