Ekiti State government acquired the area around the swampy Atikankan slum neighbourhood of Ado Ekiti as part of efforts to give the Central Business District a facelift.

The Ekiti State Government will on Monday, 20 May, begin the payment of compensation to owners of property acquired for the proposed urban renewal project at Atikankan area in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

The Commissioner for Information, Mr Taiwo Olatunbosun, disclosed this to journalists on Saturday.

He assured that the payment would be fair, adequate and prompt to all affected parties, adding that the focus was to rapidly develop the state without negatively affecting the citizenry.

Mr Olatunbosun noted that government had acquired the area around the swampy Atikankan slum neighbourhood of Ado Ekiti as part of efforts to give the Central Business District a facelift and address inherent challenges in the area.

Recall that the State Executive Council had earlier approved the payment of N300 million as complete compensation on the proposed urban renewal project at Atikankan/Igbeyin area of Ado Ekiti.

The approval was to cover 130 claimants for permanent structures and 21 for temporary constructions.

The Atikankan area had been identified both by the government and security agencies as the hotspot for selling and buying of drugs, substance abuse, as well as hideout for criminals.

However, Mr Olatunbosun said the current development was in line with the urban renewal vision to transform Ado-Ekiti into a more economically viable state capital.

He said that the affected Atikankan area, behind Akodi-Sasere area, falls within the Central Business District (CBD) of Ado-Ekiti, which had degenerated into a complex urban slum.

The commissioner noted that the area was currently associated with serious urban, physical, social and environmental problems that required total clearance.

He stressed that the Governor Biodun Oyebanji administration was committed to the rapid development of the state and improvement of the people.

Mr Olatunbosun assured that the administration would continue to provide basic infrastructure and development that would make residents comfortable, and attract investors and tourists to the state.