The Federal and Lagos State governments have revealed that about 795 houses would be demolished, to pave way for the construction of the proposed 37-kilometre Fourth Mainland Bridge.

The two authorities revealed a lot of efforts had been made to reduce the number of affected structures from about 9,000.

However, the state government assured that owners of the affected property would be adequately compensated.

Speaking at the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Stakeholders’ scoping workshop with the Federal Ministry of Environment in Lagos, Environment Minister, Mamoud Abubakar said there would be a commitment on the part of Lagos State government on the compensation for owners of affected properties.

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The minister, who was represented by a director in the ministry, James Kolawole, explained that though the project would have about 16 alignments, the best had been selected.

He said: “There was an alignment that will affect about 9,000 structures along the corridor, but we have reviewed it and gone for the alignment that will affect about 795 houses, instead of the one that will take more houses. It is an ongoing thing on how best to minimise the negative impact.''

 He said the fourth Mainland Bridge project is about the people and long overdue as it will boost economic growth and enhance international trade, adding that there was need to take cognisance of both positive and negative impacts of Fourth Mainland bridge on stakeholders to ensure that all the knotty and technical issues are addressed in order not to compromise the future of coming generation.

The bridge, which will connect Lagos and Ogun States, will pass through Abraham Adesanya in Lagos and Sparklight Estate near the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State.