Allottees seek Sanwo-Olu’s intervention on land appropriation delays

Allottees of State land in Orisan Waterfront Residential Scheme, situated along Lekki-Epe corridors, have expressed dismay over the alleged breach of agreement by the Lagos State Government to allocate lands and certificates of occupancy to the allottees of the scheme who have made payment in full.

The allottees, some of whom are civil servants, are appealing to the State Government, particularly Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to address the issue with utmost urgency by ensuring the fulfilment of obligation of the State Government to hand over the allocated 720 meter square of land at Orisan Waterfront Residential Scheme to all fully paid allottees.

The scheme was implemented by the Land Use Allocation Committee (LUAC) in partnership with New Towns Development Authority (NTDA) and supervised by the lands Bureau of Lagos State since 2010.

According to the allottees, the move by LASG in delaying the appropriation of lands to the fully paid subscribers is hindering infrastructure development. The allottees asserted that political and business interests within the economic corridors of the Lekki-Epe free trade zones have raised soaring interest over the land due to its proximity to the fourth mainland bridge, the new international airport and the emerging economy of the Lagos Free Trade Zones.

In a petition signed by the allottees, the subscribers explained that past administrations under which the land was procured, failed to allocate the lands to allottees while alleging bureaucracy and breach of agreement by the state government.

According to the petition, the land was supposed to be delivered a few months after payment, but eleven years later it has remained a pipe dream, adding that subscribers commenced payment in 2013 but as at December 2022, the lands have not been delivered to the allottees.

The petition reads in part: “We wish to inform the general public that the State Land in Orisan Waterfront Residential Scheme have been fully paid for and can be testified by Lagos State Government official revenue receipt, which necessitated the allocation of State Land measuring 720 square meters and an assignment of a block and plot numbers to each allottee by authorities of Lagos State Government from 2011 to 2015.”

“In spite of this payment and the fulfilment of all requirements stipulated in the letter of allocation of State Lands under the State Land Law Cap. 130 Laws of Lagos State and the Land Use Decree No 6 of 1978, the subscribers are yet to physically take possession and identify with their lands ten years and still counting.

“We are hereby constrained to take this matter to the general public having taken necessary steps to reach out to all relevant State Government authorities and functionaries in the state to claim our rightful land allocation”.