Ambode approves regulation of encroached LASU land

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has approved the land regularization exercise for all the landed property owned by the Lagos State University (LASU) that have been encroached upon by illegal occupants.

According to the state government, the level of encroachment to the LASU campus is about 80 per cent, a situation it observed was hindering the development of the Institution.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh, disclosed this at a Stakeholders’ meeting held with leaders of community development associations and other key stakeholders in the community.

“The level of encroachment has restricted further expansion and development of new programmes in the University which has impeded the goal of being a first class University of the founders’ dream.

“Generally, over 80% of LASU land measuring over 700 HA had been acquired by settlers illegally leaving an estimated 160 HA for LASU development which is grossly inadequate,” he lamented.

Bank-Olemoh contended that there was a compelling reason to reclaim the encroached land particularly now that LASU was a residential University, noting that from Monday, December 18, 2017 officials of the state government and LASU would be visiting the affected houses with a view to placing on them notices on the need for the occupants to regularize their properties.

The Special Adviser, therefore, enjoined all the illegal property owners and encroachers on the LASU land to regularize such properties with the Institution and assume the position of legal occupants as tenants with the University.

While urging the affected illegal occupants to take advantage of the state government magnanimity and regularize their title deeds on the said land, the Special Adviser said that the decision of the state government to have them regularize their properties was informed by its resolve to follow the path of peace with the community members, assuring that the move was not one of such initiatives that would be thwarted along the way.

He further assured that government’s intention was not to demolish but regularize majority of the properties that had been illegally encroached upon.

He said that to become a bona-fide LASU tenant, an illegal occupant was expected to log on unto llrp.lasu.edu.ng and enter their VBI Number and passcode wherein they were expected to upload and update all personal information as well as pay the registration fee of N100,000.

He warned, “Again, under no circumstance should the fees be paid in cash to anybody,” pointing out the regularization exercise would be opened between now and 30th April, 2018.

“Failure to complete the regularization exercise before the 30th April deadline will attract 25% increase in the regularization fees in the first instance covering between May 1 and June 30, 2018 while a 50% increase in the regularization fees will be visited on defaulters covering the final penalty phase of July 1 and September 30, 2018,” he further warned.

Bank-Olemoh stressed that any property that was not registered or regularized by the September 30, 2018 deadline would be repossessed by the state government, adding that upon the regularization exercise, annual land use charges and rental fees would be payable to the state government and LASU respectively.

Vice Chancellor of LASU, Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun, in his remark, described the move as a step by Governor Ambode-led administration to seriously pursue lofty initiatives that would further signpost LASU as an institution of international standard and a citadel of learning.

Fagbohun maintained that if the land matter was not quickly addressed, it could hamper the growth and development of the institution to its full capacity and status.

He also corroborated that the encroachment had over the years affected the capacity of the Institution to admit the approved numbers of admission seekers by the National University Commission (NUC).

The State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, said the move was in line with the promise made by the Governor Ambode during the electioneering period that his administration would not inflict unnecessary hardship on the citizenry but would instead follow the path of peace in addressing infractions.

In his own remark, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Tpl. Wasiu Anifowoshe, described the gesture by the state government as a rare opportunity, saying the encroachers, under the new arrangement, would not be subjected to the payment of the regular fees charged for acquiring necessary building permit.

He said that the state government had reduced the regularization process drastically in order to make it very easy for the occupants of the encroached lands.