9th May, 2024
The Lagos State Government has vowed to provide more homes by speedily completing its ongoing housing schemes in all the administrative divisions of the State.
Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, who spoke at a ministerial news conference in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos on Thursday, revealed that the State is collaborating with the Federal government on Renewed Hope Housing initiative to provide over 2000 home units in Ipaja and ibeju Lekki.
He also said there is an ongoing discussion with a private finance institution to provide 800 housing units at Odola in Ikorodu division, saying all the initiatives were targeted at first time owners and low income earners, with mortgages ranging from 10 years to 15 years.
Akinderu-Fataii further revealed that old estates were being re-evaluated with a plan to restore their infrastructure and maximize the available lands for greater home yield.
In addition, he pointed out that residents of some of the Ministry’s estates do not comply with the extant rules put in place to promote peaceful co-existence of all allotees in the estates.
Such infractions, according to him, included non-payment of Service charges, by-pass of electric meters and cult activities.
He then warned that the state government had resolved to act resolutely by revoking the allocations of allotees who did not comply with agreements signed at the point of release of homes.
Akinderu-Fatai also warn allotees of the estates to desist from the practice of contravention of the original master plans of the estates through various alterations, modifications and adjustments.
According to him, the Ministry is in the process of reverting to the original master plans and that steps had been taken to notify and seal the properties affected.
He hinted that the state government might in the long run retrieve any contravening property in accordance with agreement signed with the allotees.
Akinderu-Fatai confirmed the readiness of the Lagos State Government to enhance fairness and transparency in the allocation of housing units through the use of ballot in the allocation of some of its home units.
He added that the first balloting exercise would be conducted for Lagos State Public Affordable Housing, Idale in Badagry Division and LagosHoms at Odo-Onosa/Ayandelu in Epe Division on the 4th of June 2024 and that the process would be monitored by independent observers.
The commissioner further called on residents of the State to be wary of the activities of dubious individuals or organizations who are parading themselves as registered real estate agents in the state.
He said it is an offence for an individual or organization to engage in real estate business without due registration with the Lagos State Real Estate Registration Agency (LASRERA) and urged the practitioners in the sector to always act responsibly and follow the path of the law.
Furthermore, he said the Lagos State Judiciary in collaboration with LASRERA had promised to expedite actions on court mattes relating to real estate in order to obtain timely justice for defrauded members of the public.
Akinderu-Fatai, in highlighting some of the activities of his Ministry, mentioned the introduction of Joint Venture guidelines for effective Public Private Collaboration, the use of technology for efficiency in monitoring of housing projects, initiating of sinking fund for the external painting of the housing units in all new estates at 3 to 5 years interval and enforcement of insurance of housing units against natural disasters and implementation of 40% rebate for homes allocated to 698 Civil Servants in the State.
He further disclosed that the Ministry, through an improved revenue generation machinery, was able to collect outstanding debts totalling N176, 617, 500. 00 from defaulting allotees in Millennium Housing Estate, Gbagada; Baba Omojola Housing Estate, Gbagada; Millennium Housing Estate, Oke-Eletu; Emeka Anyaokwu Housing Estate, Ikeja and Millennium Housing Estate, Ojokoro.
He, however, listed some of the challenges facing the Ministry as encroachments on state-owned land for housing projects, litigations, slow pace of work by joint venture partners, issues related to allocation of the homes due to its limited number, inflationary trends and challenges with recalcitrant allotees and residents.