Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State on Monday presented Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) to no fewer than 230 communities in the state whose applications for excision have been approved.

The affected communities had applied for excision following the acquisition of their lands by the state government.

Most of the communities granted the excision approval and alternative land compensation for acquired lands are in Ibeju-Lekki.

Others are in Ikorodu ,Badadry and Alimosho.

Some of the benefitting communities include Okun Alani village(Ibeju Lekki),Osoroko Village(Ibeju-Lekki),Agunbiade Village(Eti-Osa)and Ilisioye Village (Badagry)

Presenting the documents to the communities Fashola said that granting of excision was to adequately compensate villagers for the acquisitions of their lands for development projects.

He said the government believed that giving of land instead of monetary compensation would offer the benefitting communities the commensurate alternative for their acquired land by the state government.

Fashola said land compensation for acquired lands by government instead of money was not new the state.

The governor said such arrangement was always bedevilled by some nagging issues.

Giving examples, Fashola said beneficiaries often came back to government to demand monetary compensation after they had been given land, while some further encroached on government’s land.

He urged the benefitting communities to desist from such acts, saying, “the government would not grant any other demands after the excision.

“It is important for all of us to understand ourselves. What you should have received was money for your land when the acquisition took place.

Mr Oladapo Olufowora, a member of the benefitting communities thanked the government for the gesture, describing it as commendable gesture.

He assured the government the communities would comply with the conditions attached with the excision in the interest of the
beneficiaries and that of that of the state. (NAN)