NTDA commences removal of encroachments on Lagos government’s landed properties

Disturbed by the unabated encroachment on government’s various land schemes meant for housing projects, officials have commenced the removals of identified encumbrances across its schemes.

The agency responsible for the exercise, New Town Development Authority (NTDA), last week, availed the public of how some unscrupulous elements on the guises of land owners, the notorious Omo Onile, are continually made it difficult to ensure seamless process of allowing allottees to access their land.

At a media briefing in commemoration of the Third Anniversary of Governor Akinwunmi. Ambode in Office, the Special Adviser, Urban Development, Mrs. Yetunde Onabule, while lamenting the difficulties encountered as a result of encroachment, said government has persistently advising the public to ensure that proper charting and verification are done before consumating transaction on land.

However, Onabule assured that the NTDA has commenced removal of all encroachments that had been hindering the allottees from taking full possession of their lands. “And to get maximum results, the Land Use Allocation Committee (LUAC), have been charged to establish contact with the Lagos Building Control Agency (LABSCA) in order to remove all the identified illegal structures on our scheme”, said the Special Adviser.

She also urged the allottees to move into their various schemes and commence development on their plots, stated that their continuous absence encourage encroachment by squatters who usually erect illegal structures on the land.

Besides, Onabule reiterated government’s determination to enforce laws over allottees who are in breach of various clauses in their letters of allocation of Certificate of Occupancy (CofO), which states that land must be fully developed within two years from the date of issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy.

Another move by the government to sanitise the system was the establishment of Monitoring/Removal of Illegal Structure, which activities involve removal of illegal developments, encroachments, including shanties within the government schemes, as well as the activities of sand dredging and mining, noting that this will curb haphazard and uncoordinated development, that results into bastardisation of the schemes.

Onabule hinted that the activity is being carried out in conjunction with  the Ministry for Physical Planning and Urban Development and its agencies, that included the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) and the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABCA), “assisted by the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation and Miscellaneous Offences, when necessary”.

She listed where removal of encroachments are ongoing to include Lekki Peninsula Scheme, Coastal Road, Lekki Scheme11 and Abijo GRA Scheme and Isheri North Residential Scheme.

Others are schemes in Badagry, Ikorodu axis. “But I need to state that clearing of shanties within Abijo GRA Scheme and Lekki Pennisula Scheme11, are proposed to be executed before the end of year 2018,” she assured.