News
Lagos set to provide more homes through budgetary allocations, strategic collaborations
Lagos State Commissioner for Housing, Hon. Moruf Akinderu-Fatai has affirmed the readiness of the State Government to provide more homes by speedily completing its ongoing housing schemes in all the administrative divisions of the State.
The Commissioner stated this during the ongoing Y2024 Ministerial Briefing held at Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Secretariat, Alausa-Ikeja, organised to commemorate the first anniversary of the second term in office of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.
He further revealed that the State is collaborating with the Federal government on the 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 units at Odola in the Ikorodu division. “All these initiatives are targeted at first-time owners and low-income earners, with mortgages ranging from 10 years to 15 years”, the Commissioner said.
While revealing that the old estates are being re-evaluated with a plan to restore their infrastructure and maximise the available lands for greater home yield, Akinderu-Fatai pointed out that some residents of some of the Ministry’s estates do not comply with the extant rules put in place to promote peaceful coexistence of all allottees in the estates. Such infractions, according to him, include non-payment of service charges, bypass of electric meters and cult activities.
He warned that the State Government has resolved to act resolutely by revoking the allocations of those allottees who do not comply with agreements signed at the point of release of homes. He also declared that the allottees must 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 steps have been taken to notify and seal the properties affected. He hinted that the State Government may in the long run retrieve any contravening property under the agreement signed with the allottees.
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 a ballot in the allocation of some of its home units. He added that the first balloting exercise will 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 will be monitored by independent observers.
He further called on residents of the State to be wary of the activities of dubious individuals or organisations who parade themselves as registered Real Estate agents in the State. He disclosed that it is an offence for an individual or organisation to engage in Real Estate business without due registration with the Lagos State Real Estate Registration Agency (LASRERA), urging the practitioners in the sector to always act responsibly and follow the path of the law.
Furthermore, he averred that the Lagos State Judiciary, in collaboration with LASRERA, has promised to expedite actions on court matters relating to Real Estate to obtain timely justice for defrauded members of the public.
Hon. Akinderu-Fatai also mentioned the introduction of Joint Venture guidelines for effective Public-Private Collaboration, the use of technology for efficiency in monitoring Housing projects, initiation of sinking funds for the external painting of the housing units in all new estates at three to five years intervals 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 Anyaoku Housing Estate, Ikeja and Millennium Housing Estate, Ojokoro.
The Commissioner, 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 the allocation of the homes due to its limited number, inflationary trends and challenges with recalcitrant allottees and residents.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Resources Authority says it has commenced a clampdown on illegal LPG retail outlets in Akwa Ibom State.
The state Coordinator, Ikechukwu Eseka, disclosed this on Thursday while receiving the state commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Bakshar Hussaini, in his office on a courtesy visit.
He said, “We have started enforcement of LPG retailers embarking on illegal decanting of LPG, filling stations, LPG refilling plants and other illegal downstream operations in the state.
“We are currently working on the illegal proliferation of decanting of LPG in the state, Eseka stated, adding that gas is very volatile, and some of them are using gas that is not meant for the purpose.”
He said he has directed that gas plant owners should not load gas on people who don’t have licenses NMDPRA in the state, warning that “decanting of gas from cylinder to cylinder is an illegal activity which is punishable by law.”
He also called on marketers to register and renew their licenses before operating LPG in the state.
“We used the opportunity to talk on the aspects of the downstream which has to do with our enforcement, sealing of filling stations and those who are using diesel for industrial purposes that are yet to register with NMDPRA.
“We have also commenced engagement with individuals and organisations using storage tanks that are over 500 litres, to come and register with the Authority in the state,” he added.
Eseka thanked the Commandant for coming to re-strategise and collaborate with the Authority in the state.
Earlier, the State Commandant of NSCDC, Hussaini, explained that the purpose of coming was to collaborate with NMDPRA on how to checkmate indiscriminate decanting of LPG in the state.
“I know with the present situation in the country, a lot of them are going to cry and you have to use human face to handle their cases so that we don’t injure the government and the public themselves,” he said.
He lamented that some people used their houses to sell cooking gas which can cause environmental hazards to the public.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced plans to phase out the Permanent Voter Cards, PVC.
INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, made this known at a meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners RECs, held at the INEC Conference Room, Abuja on Thursday.
This was part of the identified 142 recommendations released by the Commission which deals with the general state of preparedness, voter management, voter education and public communication, political parties and candidate management.
Other areas of recommendation include electoral operations and logistics management, election officials and personnel, partnership and collaboration, monitoring and supervision, election technology, voting and result management, election security, electoral offences and the electoral legal framework.
The Chairman said there are eight recommendations among the 142 which require legislative action by the National Assembly.
“The Commission also believes that with the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, the use of the Permanent Voters’ Cards, PVC, as the sole means of identification for voter accreditation on Election Day should be reviewed.
He, however, said that those who already have the Permanent Voter Cards can still use them to vote.
He added, “But going forward, computer-generated slips issued to the voter or even downloaded from the Commission’s website will suffice for voter accreditation. ”
Yakubu said this new development will save costs and further eliminate the issues around the collection of Permanent Voter Cards.
He also said the practice of buying up the Permanent Voter Cards from voters to disenfranchise them, would be reduced.
President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to present the 2025 proposed budget to a joint session of the National Assembly on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.
The announcement was made by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during a plenary session, revealing that the President has sent a communication to that effect.
“The president has made his intention known to the National Assembly to present the 2025m budget to the joint session of the National Assembly on the 17th of December, 2024,” he said.
The proposed budget, totalling N47.9 trillion, was earlier announced by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Atiku Bagudu.
NMDPRA begins clampdown on illegal LPG retail outlets in Akwa Ibom
Elections in Nigeria: There’ll be no more need for voter cards – INEC
BREAKING: Tinubu to present 2025 budget proposal to National Assembly Tuesday
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