NIESV faults Lagos’ Land Use Charge policy, gets new excos

AGAIN, members of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Lagos State Chapter, has faulted the Lagos State Government’s Land Use Charge policy, saying the process leading to the charges, is unknown anywhere in the world.

The institution, which said it would relent on calling on the state to do the needful over the matter, pledged offer its service in any area the state wishes to engage it on the issue of land management and other related fields of its competence.

Led by its immediate past chairman, Pastor Stephen Jagun, NIESV, at a press briefing to mark the end of his tenure last week in Lagos said, it was high-time for the new governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode to review the whole policy to meet best practices in the developed world.

Meanwhile, the group of professional realtors in Lagos got new executive members to man the affairs of the institution for the next two years. Mr. Offiong Samuel defeated other contestants to emerge as the chairman.

Other members are newly executive are Mr. Olurogba Orimalade, Vice Chairman; Adeyemi Onikan, Secretary; Mrs. Omotola Ahamioje, Treasurer; Mrs. Olabisi Demola-Alade, Financial Secretary; Moses Emele, Publicity Secretary; Mrs. Bridget Oranye, Assistant Secretary; Oladapo Ogunlewe, Official, Adedotun Bamigbola, Official; Tosin Kadiri, Un-official and Obade Allen, as an Un-official member.

But, before the AGM that eventually produced the new officials of the institution, Jagun, alongside with other members of the past administration had during a press briefing asked the Lagos State Government to address some issues said to be germane to the real estate industry in the state.

While congratulating Governor Ambode, the institution urged him to step up the urban regeneration programme initiated by his predecessor, Babatunde Fashola, but urged him to ensure that he saddled the right professionals with the right task, as that step would further make his government to achieve beyond the past government.

“We are happy about the urban regeneration scheme in place. But we want to stress that the new governor should engage the right and qualified professionals to man that office.”

Jagun, said Ambode should urgently see to the anomaly associated with the state’s Land Use Charge policy, saying the process towards determining the value of property in the state as it is being done by the government was arbitral and wrong.

“On the Land Use Charge, we are not averse to the state government’s increasing its revenue, but we are saying that the process should be transparent” adding that, he believes, that came to be because experts’ advise was not sought.

According to him, “The formulae the state is using is not known anywhere in the world. If professional estate surveyors had been involved, we would not have the kind of situation now with us, which we are now seeking to be addressed.”

Jagun said the new Governor should review the state’s valuation board; taxation and rating valuation should also be revived. He, also added that the present government.

He asked Ambode to encourage provision of infrastructure, make land available for the people and support site-and-service scheme, saying that would make significant impact on the state’s drive towards meeting its housing needs, as development of more houses will yield huge returns to the state.