Ondo-150 civil servants risk homeless govt marks houses demolition in Akure.
Hundreds of civil servants in Ondo state face possible homelessness as the state government moves forward with plans to demolish over 150 residential buildings in the Alagbaka area of Akure, the state capital.
The affected structures are located in Phases 1, 2, and 3 of the Alagbaka Government Staff Quarters.
It was gathered that the quarters, originally constructed during the administration of late Governor Adekunle Ajasin in the late 1970s, have served as a vital housing solution for civil servants for decades. Pure act of wickedness, civil servants lament A staff member at the Ondo State Emergency Medical Service Agency, who asked not to be named, described the development as a “pure act of wickedness.”
“The government is planning to demolish our houses. This is the house that was given to us years ago to solve the problem of accommodation. We are paying subsidised rent every month. Now, if the government takes this house, where do I want to start from? I have to start thinking of where to live from the salary that is not even enough to feed me and my family,” she said.
Another affected resident working at the state’s Ministry of Information echoed similar fears. “These houses were built in 1976 under the leadership of Pa Adekunle Ajasin. They were given to civil servants. Phase 1 alone has about 156 houses, and there are still Phases 2 and 3. The government deducts the rent directly from our salaries, ₦5,000 for a three-bedroom and ₦4,000 for two-bedroom flats,” he said.
He accused the government of eyeing the valuable land for profit. “Once they succeed in evicting us and building new structures on this land, we all know we are not coming back. The plan is to build estates with modern houses that no civil servant will be able to afford. Presently, what we pay as rent is small and comfortable, and that was the vision of Pa Ajasin when this place was built,” he said.
The move has sparked outrage across labour unions in the state. Organised Labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and the Joint Negotiation Council (JNC), has vowed to resist the eviction. At a recent event in Akure, the NLC Chairman in Ondo state, Comrade Olapade Ademola Adeniji, threatened mass protests if the government does not halt the planned demolition.
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