Date: 2016-12-09

The Kwara State House of Assembly has deferred its approval on the construction of shops around Water Reservoir in G R A Ilorin till the state government comes up with a policy on the status of the Water Reservoir in the area, in order not to endanger the lives of people living in the area.

Similarly, it has directed the state Bureau of Land to demolish 5 of the office suites from the Agric roundabout side of the Suites to ensure enough parking space as well as check future traffic jam along Fate road.

The House took these decisions unanimously while considering a report of the joint House Committee on Land, Housing, Urban Development and Agriculture and Water Resources on the construction of shops around Government Secondary School, Ilorin and Water Reservoir opposite Unilorin Staff Quarters along Umar Audi road,GRA Ilorin.

The Speaker, Dr Ali Ahmad, while reading the resolutions of the House, said the House resolved to defer its approval on the construction of Shops around the water reservoir in G R A Ilorin, following the experts' opinion during public hearing relating to public health, safety and environmental issues that no septic or soak away tank should be constructed within 10 meters to the underground tanks to prevent contamination of the treated water in the underground tanks.

The Legislature equally enjoined the State Bureau of Land to convert the planned Certificate of Occupancy of the office suites along Fate Road to Certificate of Temporary Occupancy to give room for future development of the area.

It also called on the state government to ensure that appropriate government agencies regulate the use of the office suites as well as ensure that they were used for the intended purpose to protect the interest of the educational institution housing the office suites.

The House however, decried the apparent lack of synergy and non cooperation among the MDAS in the state and called for change of attitude in the task of implementing government policies. The Chairman of the Joint House Committee on Land, Housing, Urban Development and Agriculture As well as Water Resources, Hon Adamu Usman had while presenting the Report observed among other things, that since the commencement of the project some residents of the GRA were not in support of the construction as there has not been water supply to GRA and environs while the erection of shops in GSS Ilorin according to him would prevent future construction of service lanes along fate road.