Oyo Assembly asks ministry to compensate land owners

The Oyo State House of Assembly has directed the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and the Office of the Surveyor-General to fast-track the process of paying compensation to the families, groups and organisations whose lands were forcefully revoked by the Ajimobi-led administration.

The House unanimously reached the decision yesterday at the plenary following the consideration of a report of the joint committee on Lands, Housing and Survey, and Human Rights and Democratic Governance that investigated the alleged unlawful acquisition of lands belonging to individuals and families.

The Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin, said that most lands acquired by the past administration for future developmental purposes were still lying fallow after years of acquisition.

He, however, directed the joint committee to investigate other land transactions that were allegedly acquired for official use by the immediate past administration in the state between June 2015 and May 2019 and other related matters therewith.