Traders and the owner of Pelly Foam Industries Limited, at Dugbe area of Ibadan Tuesday raised the alarm over plans to prevent them from renovating the complex razed by fire last year.
Dapo Davies and the traders raised the alarm in a letter to Governor Seyi Makinde dated April 18 and made available to journalists. They called on the governor “to intervene in granting them renovation approval.”
In the letter by their lawyer, S.O. Sanni & CO on behalf of the affected firm, Pelly Foam and the traders within the property, the traders stated that “despite the fact that all necessary documents requested by relevant agencies for renovation permit have been submitted, but to their surprise, a year after, the approval is yet to be granted.
“Our client was directed to produce a renovation permit for approval by the relevant government agencies which was promptly done and submitted to the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey and the Town Planning Department, a building plan which is most unnecessary. Submission of the building plan was based on the advice of the Town Planning Department which is strange to all known Town Planning Laws where a building is gutted by fire.”
The letter added, ” We however regret to note Your Excellency that the government department responsible for approval of building plans has refused to approve the renovation permit for almost one year after the fire incident.
“We heard from the grapevine that Your Excellency was informed that there are pending cases in court which is farther from the truth. The truth is that one King Zion took our client to court in 2003, years before the fire incident and various cases in court has nothing to do with the fire incident. We urge Your Excellency to kindly demand a copy of the said injunction granted by the court.”
Part of the letter titled, ‘Appeal For Permission To Renovate The Property Situate At No 1, Lebanon Street, Dugbe, Ibadan, Gutted By Fire On The 15th, April 2020’, ” reads, further : “Your Excellency, the above mentioned property was gutted by fire on the 15th, April 2020 where substantial part of the building was adversely affected.”
