Lagos generates N20b from land transactions

Lagos State government, on Friday said N20, 773 billion was generated from land transactions, disclosing also that N2 billion was paid as compensation to owners of property demolished for road expansions in 2016.

This was just as it said it was determined to enforce  master plans of Banana Island, Magodo Isheri, Omole Phase 1 and 2, Park View, Osborne, Victoria Garden City (VGC) and Ikoyi, saying, the plans had been distorted by residents.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Urban Development, Mrs. Yetunde Onabule, made this disclosure while speaking at the 2017 ministerial press briefing held at Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja.

Onabule said that the revenue generated by the state government within the year under review was N11 billion higher than the previous year.

She explained that the huge increase was due to a transaction on the sales of land for industrial development in the state, saying, revenue performance for the year under consideration exceeded the Bureau’s target by 45 per cent.

The special adviser, however, said the government would have raked in more than N20billion, but due to infrastructure development within the new scheme, which made it difficult to generate revenue from these sources.

“Let me assure you that the revenue of the bureau will continue to be improved upon at the kick- off of the New Schemes, transactions on State Land, payment by defaulters.

“It is noteworthy to state that we are optimistic that our policy to further upgrade our service delivery through better strategic procedures and smarter use of information technology will enhance our revenue performance and service delivery this year,” she said.

Speaking on demolition, Onabule lamented that allottees on government schemes had engaged in illegal extension of land allocated to them saying that  in some cases, over 100 per cent of the land allocated by the government had been discovered to be affected.

“We have discovered that allottees on Government Schemes have engaged in illegal extension of land allocated to them; in some cases, over 100 perc ent of the land allocated by the government.

“Some of our schemes where this unwholesome activity takes place include Lekki Scheme 1, Magodo Shangisha, Magodo Isheri, Omole 1 & 2, Ogudu, ParkView, Osborne, Victoria Garden City, and Banana Island, Ikoyi. This act also involves illegal dredging aimed at adding more land and/ or fencing in road setbacks and Right of Way.

“The state government has engaged the services of a consultant, who has carried out a thorough survey on all of these Schemes to determine the exact size of land that each concerned allottee has encroached upon.

“In light of this, we have commenced issuance of Demand Notices to regularize permissible extensions within a specified period, whilst, illegal extensions on road setbacks, Right of Way and flood plain are unacceptable,” she said.