Lagos State Government yesterday said it has commenced payment of over N11.8billion as compensation to owners of properties demolished to give way for construction of roads, flyovers, ramps and other critical infrastructural projects across the State.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Lands Bureau, Mrs. Yetunde Onabule who said this at the ongoing briefings by ministries said the payment was for properties demolished for projects including the Abule-Egba road expansion, Epe Road expansion, Lekki International Airport, Pen Cinema flyover, ultra- modern bus terminal in Oyingbo and upgrading of Muritala Mohammed International Airport Road.
She listed other projects to include Mechanic Village, Gbagada Phase1, Ojokoro Specialist Hospital, construction of Freedom Road/Drainage channel, reconstruction of Agri-Ishawo Konu-Arepo Road, among others.
Onabule said following the approval of the projects, the Stateโs Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development moved to these areas to determine the Right of Way (ROW) for the proposed projects, while the Lands Bureau carried out a reconnaissance survey and detailed enumeration of about 1,880 properties and claimants affected by the development including residential, commercial, petrol filling stations and religious centres.
โI can confirm to you that in line with the provisions of the Land Use Act 1978, which is the enabling law for the revocation of Right of Occupancy (C of O) and payment of compensation thereof in the country, interest in the affected properties have been promptly revoked and enumeration of these properties completed and payment of over N11,814,844 billion approved as compensation for property owners on the Alignment/Right of Way for construction, re-construction/dualisation of roads, flyovers and ramps aimed at alleviating traffic gridlock and other forms of infrastructural development of Lagos is ongoing,โ she said.
The Special Adviser added that it recorded about N10.2 billion drop from its annual revenue generated from land transactions in 2017.
She explained that the stateโs Lands Bureau generated only N10.5billion from land transactions last year, representing over 50 percent short of the N20.7billion it generated in 2016.
Onabule blamed the sharp reduction in the revenue on the inability of the Bureau to commence the sales of new scheme, adding that revenue generation would improve when the sale of the new land schemes begin.
According to her, the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration has so far lived up to expectation in prompt payment of compensation on acquired land and titles revoked for over-riding public interest, however adding that payment is done after due presentation of all necessary documents by a claimant proving true ownership of the property.
She urged affected residents to speed up their verification processes and forward their documents evidencing ownership of properties, valid means of identification, four passport photographs and other details to facilitate prompt payment.
Onabule said that the quest by the present administration to ensure that Lagosians obtain title documents with ease, the Governor signed a total of 727 Electronic Certificate of Occupancy (E-C of O) in the year under review, thus bringing the number to 5, 172 of such certificates in the last three years.
Onabule expressed concern on the issue of encroachment on government schemes, warning the Omo-Onile to desist from selling land that falls under government acquisition.
โIt is most disheartening to say that a very large number of government schemes in the state are being confronted with the problem of encroachment. We as a government have persistently advised members of the public to ensure they do proper charting and verification on properties before consummating transactions on land,โ she said.
