Oyo state government has issued a final warning to mechanics and car dealers occupying the the Trans-Amusement Park premises, Ibadan to vacate the space before Monday 30th September, 2019.
The recreational park has harbored motor mechanics, car dealers and other spare parts dealers for some years now but due to the proposed upgrade and renovation of the park, the government through the Bureau of Investment and Public Private Partnership in collaboration with the Oyo State Road Transport Management Agency (OYRTMA) met with the artisans on Friday, warning them to desist from using the said space as a mechanic village.
The Executive Assistant to the Governor on Investment and Public-Private Partnership, Honourable Segun Ogunwuyi informed newsmen on Friday afternoon of the evacuation order which he said would give room for a face lift of the Park in order woo investors and generate revenue for the state.
In an interview with the General Manager, Trans-Amusement Park, Mr Sunday Kolawole, he said that the eviction was long over due as the occupants have been given notice to vacate the land since March, 2018.
He also revealed that the artisans have been provided with a temporary space since March, 2019 but have remained unyielding to move.
“This action is long overdue because as far back as March 2018, the board gave them a quit notice because the company wanted to develop the park but they appealed for extension and the board gave them till January 2019 to move.
“Upon expiration of the due date, they appealed for another extension and they were given another two months extension, during which they requested for another space for temporary relocation and they were provided with one.
“It is however sad to know that they have neither moved out of the old space nor made use of the temporary space allocated to them. This is why we are here today, to give them the last warning because by Monday 30th September, we will allow the law to take its course as this is government land and cannot be claimed by anyone,” Kolawole explained.
In a similar occurrence, the State government has reiterated its promise to turn the popular Bola Ige International Business Complex to an international standard market as promised by the governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde during the campaign period.
The Hon. Commissioner for Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperatives, Hon. Adeniyi Adebisi disclosed this during his touring of the market to implement the Task Force committee’s report earlier set up by the state Governor.
During the tour of the complex by the ministry officials led by the Hon Commissioner, Hon Adebisi discovered that many infrastructure initially provided for the complex have been damaged and overstretched due to over population of the market, while it was also discovered that the original master plan of the complex has been distorted.
Hon Adebisi while addressing the Executives and the market elders commended them for cooperating with the Government and therefore pledged that the distorted complex master plan would be looked into in such a way that the repairs would not affect both the government and the traders.
While responding, the chairman of the market ,Alhaji Lukuman Arowolo commended the government and emphasized that the market executives, elders and the traders had no objections to the government’s decision to transforming the complex to an international standard as it was in the master plan, so as to bring back the old glory of the market.
