The Lagos State Government has declared that it will not hold back from enforcing penalties against individuals who disobey the guidelines established for the sustainable future of the estates in all state housing schemes.
At Abiodun Ogunleye Housing Estate in Igbogbo, Ikorodu, the state’s Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, made this declaration while on a visit to determine the degree of damage caused by thieves and vandals to electrical panels, generators, and cables.
The initiative, according to Akinderu-Fatai, is intended to maintain the infrastructure of housing estates held by the State Government in good condition and to ensure that residents’ well-being is promoted.
The commissioner, unable to contain his shock at the extent of the damage, called the vandals’ crimes a significant setback and diversion from the state government’s efforts to provide housing for the people of the state.
Akinderu-Fatai expressed regret that the people had not responded favorably to the state government’s act of giving low-income earners access to subsidized housing.
From his statement, “This occurrence at a time like this shows that some citizens do not have a clear understanding of the state’s passion for provision of decent housing for the people.
“The fund that will be used to replace these items will definitely reduce the number of homes to be provided for others ” he added.
While speaking with the residents, he noted that “the security breach is as a result of indifference and apathy on the part of residents, saying the vandals must have taken a long time to unearth the cables, cut and cart them away”.
In response to the information that a large number of the residents had neglected to pay the monthly facilities management costs and had brought in renters that posed a risk to the Estate’s security, he stated that “henceforth anyone that refuse to pay facility maintenance fees or lease his allocation to miscreants will face ejection” .
“The state government will not hesitate to take back the allocation of allotees who insists on not paying maintenence fees in contravention of Article 6 of the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the state government.
“Refusal to pay facility maintenance fee means you are willing to forfeit the right of ownership.”
Akinderu-Fatai, also frowned at those who rent out their apartments, saying, “the intention of Lagos State Government is to provide homes for those in need of accommodation and not property speculators.”
He issued a warning, saying that if the accusations are properly established, those who rent out their houses to online scammers, cult members, and dubious individuals would forfeit their allotment.
Additionally, according to Engineer Abdulhafis Toriola, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing, all tenants are required to pay the facility management charge in order to fund security guards, garbage collection, streetlight lighting, cleaning, and cleanliness of jointly owned facilities.
“Hence, the state government will not compromise the sustainability of its estate by not sactioning defaulters.”
In order to ensure everyone’s safety, Toriola pleaded with the Residents Association to constantly provide the Ministry of Housing with information about individuals who are sheltering criminals in the estate.
He then demanded that the homeowners assume total accountability for the estate’s infrastructure.
