…Explains controversy over entry gate, denies locking out Lagos Deputy Governor
Victoria Ojiako
A property developer in Osborne Foreshore Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, Chief Ken Ukaoha, has claimed that his firm spent N160 million on dredging and drainage upkeep within the property in two years, insisting that the recurring flooding drawback requires a significant engineering intervention fairly than makes an attempt responsible particular person property house owners.
Ukaoha, who’s related to Kenshad International Limited and Kensha Group Limited, proposed the reconstruction of a significant drainage channel, building of a reservoir and set up of three industrial pumping machines to discharge extra water into the lagoon.
He additionally dismissed allegations that his growth at Abba Court, Mahogany Close, obstructed a canal, blocked the property’s drainage system or contributed to flooding, sustaining that the controversy surrounding his property had been misrepresented as an estate-wide drawback.
Speaking with journalists throughout a fact-finding go to to the property, he attributed the flooding problem to the property’s low-lying, sand-filled terrain, gradual settlement of infrastructure, gathered silt and elevated strain on the prevailing drainage community.
“Osborne is a sand-filled land. The extra the land settles, the extra the infrastructure and the roads go down. That is definitely a part of the issue.
“When I first came here, this whole development was not here. There was no pressure on the infrastructure. But today, you have more buildings, and the volume of water that comes into the area has increased,” he stated.
Giving a breakdown of his firm’s alleged funding in drainage upkeep, Ukaoha stated N100 million was spent final yr and one other N60 million this yr on dredging and clearing drainage channels.
“This yr, we paid N60 million. We introduced in long-reach excavators. Each lengthy excavator costs us N1 million each day. You can go and discover out from the property administration. They know when the excavators got here in and after they left.
“Last year, before this year, we spent N100 million. I will give you all the payment details and the name of the company. You can go and do your verification,” he stated.
He defined that gathered mud had considerably lowered the capability of the drainage channels to convey water, arguing that dredging was crucial to revive their performance.
“The canal there is stuffed with mud. It isn’t just a canal with water flowing by it. When we excavate, the mud is nearly 10 metres deep. Until we take away the gathered mud, that’s the solely time the canal shall be free.
“When water comes, it stays on top of the mud. That is part of the problem,” he stated.
Proposing what he described as a long-lasting resolution, Ukaoha stated putting in a number of small pumping machines wouldn’t handle the underlying drawback with out reconstructing the most important drainage channel and offering ample water storage services.
“The solely factor that may clear up the issue is to have a system that may take all of the water and pump it out to the lagoon, whereas stopping the lagoon from bringing water again inside.
“There needs to be about three industrial pumps at that finish, as a substitute of getting completely different small pumps. If you don’t rebuild the canal and create a reservoir, you’ll proceed to have an issue as a result of all of the drainage is blocked.
“We have done a design with the Federal Government and submitted it to the estate management and the association. Once they resolve their concerns and implement it, the water problem in Osborne will be substantially addressed,” he stated.
On allegations that his property obstructed a canal, the developer insisted that the drainage channel passing by his property was not related to the system serving different components of Osborne.
During the inspection, he took journalists spherical some drainage services to reveal what he described as two separate drainage techniques, arguing that the disputed canal served the Ilubirin axis.
“I wish to present you the place the canal has began. It will not be linked to this one. This canal will not be linked to this one.
“This canal is a single canal that absorbs water from the other side. It is not linked to this side of the river. And here, they don’t have a problem with flooding,” he stated.
According to him, the canal was designed to soak up extra water from Ilubirin when water ranges rose and discharge it when the water subsided.
“The canal they’re speaking about will not be related to anyplace. It is a canal that absorbs water for Ilubirin, not even for Osborne. Whenever the water in Ilubirin goes excessive, that canal takes the water. When the water goes down, it goes out once more.
“So I don’t know why they say I am the problem of the estate. The canal in question that goes through my property is not connected to anywhere,” he stated.
Ukaoha additionally denied allegations that he constructed beneath high-tension electrical energy traces, constructed with out permits or used his partnership with the Federal Government to accumulate land improperly.
He defined that his firm’s involvement within the space was by a three way partnership with the Federal Government underneath a Public-Private Partnership association.
“They accused me of constructing with out having a allow and in addition constructing on excessive stress. Those are the allegations towards me. They additionally accused me of utilizing the Federal Government to seize land. I don’t perceive what they imply by land grabbing.
“I am doing a joint venture with the Federal Government, a PPP, build, operate and transfer. That is actually the major issue,” he stated.
The developer additionally attributed the controversy surrounding his property partly to a longstanding disagreement with one other particular person over entry to a gate near a transformer he put in.
He alleged that the dispute had lasted about three years and was beforehand reported at Dauphin Police Station.
According to him, the state authorities had earlier directed the events to droop actions on the disputed location pending decision of the matter with the Controller of the Federal Ministry of Housing.
“The state requested us to not do something there till they resolved the difficulty with the Controller of the Federal Ministry of Housing, which I did. I complied with the directive.
“But they went there at night, brought in shipping containers and started working. Even as of now, the place is still a problem,” he alleged.
On experiences that Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, was denied entry to the property throughout his October 31 go to to the property, Ukaoha stated he was not within the nation when the federal government delegation arrived.
“I just came into Lagos two days ago. I had been in London to see my children. I wasn’t even here when they started the thing. I can show you my tickets,” he stated.
He defined that he had directed building websites to shut following a round from the property administration, including that he acted out of respect for the Deputy Governor and the property.
“There was no circular saying that construction sites should remain open for a visit. I can send you the circular. That is the difference,” he stated.
Ukaoha, nonetheless, expressed respect for Hamzat, commending his intervention within the flooding controversy.
“I respect him a lot, and I thank him for putting things straight because he told them that it wasn’t any individual that caused the flooding. He explained to them what caused the flooding,” he stated.
He additional denied utilizing the police to power open the disputed gate, insisting that disagreements over land needs to be resolved by the courts.
“I don’t know how I used the police. I even queried the police because the Inspector-General of Police has said that anything that has to do with land matters is a civil matter. It is something you go to court to resolve,” he stated.
Beyond the disputed property, Ukaoha claimed that his firm had undertaken highway building and drainage interventions within the property through the years, together with work on the doorway highway in 2006.
He stated the Federal Government initially developed a few of the property’s infrastructure, however deterioration over time had made extra interventions crucial.
Maintaining that his contributions had been motivated by his funding in the neighborhood, he stated bettering the property’s infrastructure would profit all property house owners.
“I’ve been right here for nearly 20 years. I’ve investments right here. The extra the property and its infrastructure enhance, the extra the worth of the property will increase.
“I am not making any demand from anybody. I believe that anywhere you develop is your community. You add more value. I am not the only developer here. If five people came out to do what I have done for the community, I think it would be a better place,” he stated.
He referred to as for collaboration among the many state authorities, property administration, residents and builders, warning towards attributing the flooding problem to at least one particular person with no complete evaluation of the drainage system.
“My only concern is that we should find a way to improve the estate instead of looking for a scapegoat to blame somebody who did nothing,” he stated.
