Lagos Assembly Constitutes Committee on Bad State Of Government Owned Estates

The Lagos State House of Assembly has set up a 7-man committee on the bad state of government-owned estates spread across the state.

According to the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, the Committee is to be headed by the Acting Chairman of the House Committee on Housing, Hon. Ibrahim Layode, Badagry 1 and they are to report back to the House in two weeks.

Members of the committee include Hon. Adefunmilayo Tejuosho, Mushin 1, Hon. Idimogu Jude, Oshodi-Isolo 2, Hon. Noheem Adams, Eti-Osa1, Hon. Abiodun Tobun Epe 1, Hon. Oladipupo Olorunrinu, Amuwo Odofin 1 and Hon. Rasheed Makinde, Ifako-Ijaiye 2.

The committee was set up in reaction to a Motion moved by some lawmakers in the House with the Majority Leader, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, Ikorodu 1 as the prime mover.

The Motion had called the attention of the lawmakers to the alleged bad state of government estates spread across the state.

Agunbiade stated that most of the estates have become shadows of their old selves, adding that the occupants have changed the plans of the government for the estates.

“We noticed that the estates have become dilapidated as they lack maintainance, the premises are dirty, and people build all sorts of structures around the estate.

“If you go round the estates, you would observe that they have lost their beauty and they seems to have been abandoned over the years,” he said.

Supporting the Motion, Hon. Yinka Ogundimu, Agege 2 stated that it is meant to make life better for the residents of the estates, and that if the situation continues, the houses in the estates would keep collapsing.

Also speaking, Hon. Adebisi Yusuff, Alimosho 1 said that most of the estates in his area are in a bad state.

He added that some owners of the estates have even sold them, and that they are now living inside containers.

“There should be facility managers for the estates. For instance, Jakande Estate in Abesan should have a police station, but the whole land have been occupied illegally,” he said.

Hon. Omotayo Oduntan from Alimosho 2 also believed that most of the estates have become eyesores, and that they have become over-populated over the years.

She emphasized that people have even turned the estates to dumping sites.

According to Hon. Rasheed Makinde, the problem with the estate has to do with lack of lay out plans, while stressing that FESTAC 77 Estate in Amuwo Odofin has become a den of armed robbers.

Some of these observations were corroborated by other lawmakers including Hon. Olawale Olayiwola, Mushin 2, Hon. Noheem Adams and Hon. Saka Solaja, Ikorodu 2, but Hon. Dipo Olorunrinu denied the claim that hoodlums have taken over FESTAC 77 Estate.