Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan
Oyo State Government has announced its readiness to sell about 38 semi-detached units of bungalow situated at Carlton Gate Estate, Akobo, Ibadan to members of the public at affordable rate to fulfill part of the present administration’s electoral promise towards provision of affordable housing for all classes of people of the State.
The State Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Barr Abiodun Abdu-Raheem disclosed this while on inspection tour to various housing Estates in Ibadan.
The Commissioner noted that a lot of people in the state were in need of affordable houses which he said was handy in Carlton Gate Estate, if they apply at the appropriate time.
He said, “In keeping faith with the electoral promises made by our governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde during campaigns on affordable housing, we are putting up 38 semi-detached units of bungalows that are at the Carlton Gate estate at Akobo in Ibadan for sale at cheap price to the people. The target of this is to make our people house owners without much problems and this is just the beginning. The present administration will provide more affordable housing to the people and make acquisition of houses and landed properties easier and affordable for our people”.
Abiodun expressed displeasure over many undeveloped plots of land in the areas visited as he observed that many choice lands were only fenced round without the owners developing them, adding that even most houses built did not follow the layout scheme provided by the State government.
“I am not happy with the state of things after accessing everything. Lands that could be bought by people who are ready to build are wasting away without being utilized. We will do our best to remove every illegal structures on our lands. It was noticed that around March, at a particular period, a lot of allocations were carried out. I must say that the allocations are sub-listed for revocation and withdrawal. Whichever way, we can go about it, for those that have not paid, government will withdraw the allocation paper given to them. I assure everybody that we are here to do the job with fairness and we will be accountable in whatever we do”, he added.
Barrister Abdu-Raheem called on people whose building plans have not been approved, those that have letters of land allocated to them but do not have Certificate of Occupancy, CofO, and those that have obtained building plans but their applications were not completed to visit the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development to complete their application within a period of seven days from Monday or have their lands revoked.
He stressed, “An ultimatum of a week is given to people who have not completed the application of their land documents as government will soon begin the revocation of lands that are not properly registered”.
Places visited include Kolapo Ishola Estate, Carlton Gate Estate, Akobo, Quarter 105 Onikoko Avenue Agodi GRA, Ajumose Housing Estate NIHORT Jericho, Elenushonsho Estate, Jericho, Queen’s school Ibadan Apata and Adeoyo GRA, Ring-road, all in Ibadan, Oyo State Capital.