HAVING made payments for over 12 years, diasporan investors in the Lagos State Government’s Oko-Orisan Waterfront Residential Land Scheme are calling for the allocation of their plots of land.
Besides, these investors (both in Nigeria and abroad) are appealing to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to wade into the matter and address alleged injustice being meted out to subscribers.
Speaking on behalf of other subscribers, Mr Hakeem Ibrahim, narrated how they got involved in the serviced scheme.
According to him, the Lagos State Government had advertised its Oko-Orisan Waterfront Residential Land Scheme in 2010 and that many diasporans showed interest not only because they wanted a home in Lagos, but also because of their perceived safety of their investment in the hands of government.
Over 12 years down the line, he said that subscribers to the Oko-Orisan waterfront scheme are feeling they are victims of what they now realise is an imperfect land administration system in Lagos State.
He said they have become distraught from the frustration brought on them by the state government, which they felt they ought to run to for succour.
In view of their disappointment and frustrations, in the hands of the Lagos State government, a number of those that had invested in the land purchase scheme including Mr. Hakeem Ibrahim have recently formed a group (Oko-Orisan Waterfront Scheme Subscribers Group), for the purpose of engaging with the state government.
Ibrahim said: “In 2012, I purchased a piece of land in Lagos State Government Oko-Orisan Waterfront Scheme in the Lekki area of Lagos State. Some other subscribers bought into the scheme as far back as 2010. The fee I paid for the plot was N3.8 million only, though I was receipted for only N3.3 million, out of the amount I paid. We were all issued original copies of allocation letters and official receipts from the Lands Bureau of the office of the Governor. My personal allocation letter was dated May 12, 2012. We have several times visited the appropriate offices of the Lagos State Government in Alausa, to inquire about progress, and the relevant officials of the government have always confirmed and assured that our documentations are genuine and valid.”
“The challenge today, is since our consummation of the contract with the Lagos statement government, we are yet to be physically allotted our plots in the scheme.”
The official reason the government officials have given for this , Ibrahim said, was that since around 2013, the scheme had been suspended to allow for redesigning.
“However, unconfirmed reasons included the following – attempt by state government to abandon the scheme to re-allocate the plots to wealthy and influential figures in the society; attempt by the government to move subscribers to a different and “less attractive,” schemes/location, amongst others.”
The group, led by Ibrahim requested the Lagos state government, without further delay, to fulfil its part of the contract, “by responding to our request and allotting us our due plots of land per the contract we entered.
“We have expressed our disaffection in writing to the Office of the Special Adviser Housing, who minuted our letter to the Bureau’s Legal Dept. We also visited the office, and our representative met with a lady who introduced herself as the Legal Officer. The lady was very receptive and helpful, and informed our representative, that the matter does not fall within the purview of office.
“She informed that her involvement was merely for information only. She however advised that we go see the Executive Secretary, Lands and/or Personal Secretary, Lands to convey our dissatisfaction in person.”
The hope of the group, he said, was diminished further when in response to the inquiry about their plots of land, the Lagos State Government (Lands Bureau) informed them that the Orisan scheme was being redesigned and remodelled, and that they would be informed of the outcome when completed, without as much as suggesting a timeline for when that would happen.
The Lagos State Government’s letter with reference number LU/OWF/RES/18/89, dated April 2, 2024, addressed to “OkoOrisan Waterfront Scheme Subscribers Group, Attention Mrs. Akinloye states. Re: Demand for the Physical Allocation of Our Land Purchased from the Lagos State Government (LASG) in the OkoOrisan Waterfront Scheme”.
In the letter signed by A. Odukogbe, for the Executive Secretary, Land Use and Allocation Committee, Governor’s Office, Lands Bureau, the Lagos state government stated “we acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated 20th March 2024, in respect of the above subject matter and inform you that the state government has embarked on redesigning and remodelling of Orisan Waterfront Scheme.
“In view of this, none of the allottees can take physical possession or process their respective Certificate of Occupancy until the conclusion of the exercise. Please be assured that all allottees will be contacted as soon as the exercise is concluded.”
“The group’s response of May 8th to the Lagos state government letter expressing regret over the lack of specificity on timelines in the state government letter, was yet to receive any response from the Lagos state government as at the time of going to press.
The group uses this medium to invite other subscribers to the scheme, both in Nigeria and abroad, to contact the group to enable us leverage strength in numbers to persuade Gov. Sanwo-Olu to address this injustice being meted out to us by the Lagos State Government,” he said.
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