Allottees Plead To Lagos Govt Over Appropriation of Land

Allottees of State land in Orisan Water Front Residential Scheme situated along Lekki-Epe corridors of Lagos state

have appealed to the state government to allocate lands and certificate of occupancy to the fully paid allottees of Orisan Water Front Residential Scheme.

The land was implemented by the Land use allocation committee (LUAC) in partnership with New Towns Development Authority (NTDA) and supervised by the lands Bureau of Lagos State since 2010.

The allottees made full payment of the entire prescribed fees and was satisfactorily testified by the Lagos state government official revenue receipt of each subscriber from 2011 to 2015, however, successful applicants are yet to take physical possession of the lands eleven years after.

According to the allottees, the move by LASG in delaying the appropriation of lands to the fully paid subscribers is hindering infrastructure development in its bid to reflate the state’s commercial economy.

The allottees asserted that political and business interest within the economic corridors of the Lekki-Epe free trade zones has raised soaring interest over the land due to its proximity to the Fourth mainland bridge, the new international airport and the emerging economy of the Lagos Free Trade Zones while urging the state government to take urgent steps to address the appropriation of lands to allottees to enable the allottees to deliver basic infrastructure to the state.

The allottees further alleged discrepancies of fraud, mindless bureaucracy and breach of agreement over the failures of the state government to allocate the lands and properties to subscribers since they made full payment ten years ago.

The allottees, however, blamed LASG over the failures and breach of agreement by past administration to deliver the 720square meters of land to each subscribers according to the agreement they reached in 2013.

In a statement signed by the allottees and made available to LEADERSHIP in Lagos, the subscribers explained that, past administration under which the land was procured failed to allocate the lands to allottees while alleging fraud, mindless bureaucracy and breach of agreement by the state government to fleece lands of individuals under the Orisan Water Front Residential Scheme.

The statement obtained from allottees revealed that the land was supposed to be delivered few months after payment, but eleven years later, it has remained a pipe dream.

According to the statement, the subscribers commenced payment in 2013 but as at December, 2022, the lands have not been delivered to the allottees.

“We are hereby constrained to take this matter to the general public having taken necessary steps to reach out to all relevant State Government authorities and functionaries in the state to claim our rightful land allocation,” they said.

The subscribers affirmed that, despite several entreaties and deliberations with the permanent secretary of Lands Bureau with signed copies to the general manager, New Towns Development Authority(NTDA) and surveyor general of Lagos State government and the executive secretary, Lands Bureau, but all to no avail.The allottees held meetings with the general manager, NTDA on Thursday May 27, 2021 and with the permanent secretary accompanied with the executive secretary, Lands Bureau on Tuesday June 22, 2021 both to no avail except for unfulfilled promises that the State will re-develop the allocated scheme through the private developer and hand over the property to fully paid allottees before year end 2021.  

One of the allottees, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, recently we had meetings with the permanent secretary and executive secretary of Land bureau but added that they promised to review the land agreement to 520 square meters while noting that the initial agreement of 720 square meters of land could no longer be attained.

The allottees hereby appeal to the state government, particularly, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to attend to this matter with utmost urgency by ensuring the fulfilment of obligation of the state government to hand over the allocated 720 meter square of land at Orisan Water Front Residential Scheme to all fully paid allottees.