The Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday confirmed 22 out of the 39 cabinet nominees sent recently by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for screening.
Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, who presided over the day’s sitting, said the confirmation followed rigorous and detailed screening of the nominees by the ad-hoc committee led by the Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Fatai Mojeed.
The Speaker in a statement signed by his Media Aide, Eromosele Ebhomele commended the committee for its effectiveness and urged the confirmed nominees to always remember that they are in office to serve the people of the State and not individuals.
He also promised that the House would continue to do its best in the interest of the state, saying the confirmation was done through a voice vote as Dr. Obasa mentioned the name of each of the nominees.
However, the lawmakers rejected 17 of the nominees.
Those confirmed include: Hon. Layode Ibrahim;Mr. Mobolaji Ogunlende; Dr. Dolapo Fasawe;Hon. Bola Olumegbon; Mr. Idris Aregbe; Ms. Abisola Ruth Olusanya; Mr. Moruf Akinderu Fatai; Mr. Kayode Bolaji-Roberts; Engr. Abiola Olowu; Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka; Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih- Awokoya; Mr. Yakub Adedayo Alebiosu; Mr. Lawal Pedro SAN; Mr. Tunbosun Alake; Mr. Gbenga Oyerinde; Dr. Adekunle Olayinka
Dr. Jide Babatunde; Mr. Afolabi Ayantayo; Mr. Tokunbo Wahab Mr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu; Mr. Jamiu Alli-Balogun; Mr. Abdulkabir Ogungbo
Meanwhile, those not confirmed by the House include: Mrs. Folashade Adefisayo; Prof. Akin Abayomi; Mr. Yomi Oluyomi; Mrs. Folashade Ambrose; Ms. Barakat Bakare; Mr. Gbenga Omotosho; Engr. Olalere Odusote;; Dr. Rotimi Fashola; Mrs. Bolaji Cecilia Dada; Mr. Sam Egube;
Mr. Olalekan Fatodu; Mrs. Solape Hammond; Mr. Mosopefolu George; Engr. Aramide Adeyoye; Mr. Seun Osiyemi; Mr Rotimi Ogunwuyi; Dr. Olumide Oluyinka
Although no reasons were given why they were not cleared, Hon Mojeed Fatai who briefed the House on the outcome of the screening exercise but remained silent on why they rejected the commissioner nominees who had served in Governor Sanwo-Olu’s cabinet in his first tenure and widely adjudged to have done well in their ministries.
It would be recalled that some leaders of the Muslim community in Lagos recently staged a protest at the State House of Assembly to convey their objection to the recently announced list of 39 commissioner nominees sent by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to the Assembly.
They pointed out that the composition was unfair to practitioners of the Islamic faith within the state and demanded a thorough review of the list.
The Muslim Community, led by President and elder statesman Prof. Tajudeen Gbadamosi who spoke in the premises of the House of Assembly during the protest said the governor’s list was nothing but wanton discrimination against Muslims in the state.
Gbadamosi later presented a formal petition to Speaker Mudashiru Obasa and called for a thorough review of the list.
Luxury Apartments From Lagos, Legrande Partnership For Grabs On Rent To Own
Fresh facts have emerged that luxury apartments built from the Lagos State government partnership with one of the frontline property developers in the country, Legrande Properties Development Company will be given out through rent to own opportunities
The managing director, Legrande Properties Development Company, Jide Durojaiye disclosed this when he took members of the Property and Environment Writers Association of Nigeria (PEWAN) on tour of the estate.
Durojaiye said the construction of 5,000 affordable housing units in Lagos has commenced, urging Nigerians to embrace the rent-to-own as a means to meet the huge housing needs in the country.
According to him, the company is providing rent-to-own opportunities for contributors to the National Housing Fund (NHF), emphasizing that the project christened, ‘Alexandra Courts Estate’ lbeju-Lekki is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) project being developed in partnership with the Lagos State Government and Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN). It also provides opportunity for loans to off-takers, who are contributors to the National Housing Fund scheme up to N15 million.
He said the Alexandra courts estate sited on a 400-hectare of land with first phase, which consist 12 blocks of 16 units housing, is scheduled for completion in March 2024, while the second phase consisting of 20 blocks of 16 units is to be completed in December 2024.
The project, which will have 3,000 terraces and 2000 flats, will see the developer providing basic infrastructure in the estate, while the state government will take up about 50-hectares.
Durojaiye said the estate estimated to gulp about N48 billion is a mixed development of two-bedroom and three- bedroom flats, semi-detached and fully-detached duplexes together with requisite infrastructures to provide utmost comfort to end-users.
It also comes with Infrastructural facilities that include 24-hours electricity (PHCN Power supply & Solar Inverter Systems), 24-hours security, internet connection, swimming pool, central park and playground, gym and other facilities.
Harping on the rent-to-own scheme, he said the initiative remained the solution to Nigeria’s housing deficit, saying Nigerians can own their homes with ease through the scheme.
“If you don’t have a sizable down payment, for instance, or your credit score is too low to qualify for a mortgage, renting a property with the intention to buy it can give you time to save and work on improving your credit rating,” he said.
Durojaiye said governments at all levels should increase investments in the housing sector to bridge the rising gap, and boost Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
