FG frustrating Lagos mass housing scheme – Fashola

Posted by Gideon ogidi

Governor Babatunde Fashola
| credits: File copy

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has accused the Federal Government of frustrating the state’s mass housing scheme.

Fashola said the government at the centre had been using military might to encroach on state’s land that had been earmarked for building of houses under the Lagos Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme.

He insisted that such action was not only posing a serious threat to Lagos mass housing initiatives, it was also slowing down his administration’s quest to develop the state.

Fashola spoke during the celebration of his administration’s 2,500 days in office at the Agidingbi, Ikeja area of the state.

He said, “Some of the land owned by the state government and earmarked for mass housing scheme are now being claimed by the Federal Government.

“Contractors at Oyingbo have stopped working because some agents of the Federal Government moved soldiers there, claiming that they own the land. As far as I can recall, that land was acquired by Brig. Mobolaji Johnson during his tenure, when Alhaji Femi Okunnu was Federal Commissioner for Works.

“In the documents handed over to our government, Alhaji Okunnu clearly indicated that the land belonged to the Lagos State Government. But, the land had been unused for many years. It was when we started this Lagos Homes Initiative that we decided to build 48 flats there. We started construction; then people came with soldiers and stopped it, claiming the land belongs to the Federal Government.

“At the Illubirin Housing Estate, where we have started a project to build 1,188 flats, someone has gone there to put a sign of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That land has been there in the last five years, the contract to reclaim the land was issued by the Lagos State Government, and suddenly the Federal Government is claiming ownership of the land.”

“I was told that Senator (Musiliu) Obanikoro was there (Illubirin) on Saturday with soldiers. So, this is what Lagosians get for the 1.2 million votes we gave to the Federal Government during the 2011 election. The action is a threat to our housing initiative; it’s a threat to poor people who are hoping to own homes under this scheme.”

Responding to a question on the impact of the ministers representing Lagos at the Federal Executive Council and Obanikoro’s  recent appointment as Minister of State for Defence, Fashola said, “Lagos does not have two ministers. Under this presidency, Lagos has one minister and that was a few weeks ago for the very first time.

“Mr. Segun Aganga does not represent Lagos. If I recall correctly, I think it is Section 147 of the Constitution that states that every state be represented by a minister indigenous to the people of those states.

“Mr. Aganga, as far as I know, is from somewhere in Edo State, he is not an indigene of Lagos. But to his credit, he has supported our initiatives here, and he has supported the free trade zone.

“The president won an election here with 1.2millon votes, all the other states got a minister except us until about two weeks ago because 2015 is coming. That is the reward for your votes. As if that is not bad enough, we now get a junior minister (Minister of State).”