The Oyo State Government has defended the partial demolition of the Fresh FM.
According to the government, due process was followed and no court order restrained it from carrying out its statutory role in the public interest.
The Special Adviser to the governor on Physical Planning and Development Control, Waheed Gbadamosi, disclosed this at a press briefing on Monday.
He said the radio station contravened the planning laws of the state, and was duly informed through various means.
Gbadamosi insisted that the demolition was not politically motivated, neither was it an act of vendetta against the radio station as it continues transmission despite the partial demolition.
“The government gave ample opportunity for Music House to regularise its null and void building plan but the management of the organisation did not deem it fit to obey the laws of the land,” he said.
“During a joint inspection to the station by the Oyo State Government officials and Music house officials, it was discovered that the building size measured 29.7m by 21.6m on ground as against the 11.925m by 10.20m in the survey plan/building plan submitted by Music House which means a gross overshooting of the allocated size approved with serious legitimacy implications.
“It was established during the visit that the building encroached into the sight distance of the Y junction along Lagelu Estate.”
Gbadamosi added that a canteen, toilets, store, and powerhouse which were not in the plan submitted are attached to the wall fence.”
He also said the Mast erected and staircase on site was not included in the plan submitted, and the basement of the plan which was meant for car park has also been converted.
As a result, he said a letter was sent to the Music House on June 29, 2018, to submit a fresh building plan application that will reflect the existing structures on site and regularise the anomalies.
He claimed that the radio house deliberately ignored the letter as there was no response from their end till demolition notices were then sent on August 13, 2018.
He said contrary to claims that the demolition was sudden, contravention notices were sent to different organisations in the state since June 14, 2017, including all radio stations in the state.
“On May 19, 2017, letters demanding for planning approval were sent to various institutions including University College Hospital, Kola Daisi University, University of Ibadan and other institutions and organisations,” Gbadamosi said.
“On June 14, 2017, request for approval was sent to Music House and 22 other radio stations in Oyo State.
“On August 18, 2017, a reminder letter was sent to Music House and the letter was received by Adebisi Akinkunmi. On August 25, 2017, we went a step further to send a letter to the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) titled Operation of Radio Stations without Physical Planning permit/Approval in Oyo State.
“A few months later, precisely November 27, 2017, another letter was sent to NBC complaining about Physical Planning Law and Regulations by the Radio station owners, developers and operators.
“We got a response from NBC on December 4, 2017, and NBC said that the issue is outside its mandate. This is to show that the action of the state government is not to witch-hunt anyone as we even reported the radio stations to NBC.
“We also wrote to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on some banks contravening the Oyo State Physical Planning and Development Control laws, sections 30, 31 and 32 of the Oyo State Physical Planning and Urban Development Law of 2012.
“Music house submitted a building plan on June 14, 2018, which necessitated the joint inspection visit we carried out on June 25, 2018. It was discovered that it was meant to be an office complex and not a radio station among some other infractions including a building size measured 29.7 metres by 21.6 metres on the ground as against the 11.925metres by 10.20metres in the survey plan/building plan submitted by Music House.”
