Category: Property

By Eniola Ogunkoya

 

The General Manager/Chief Operating Officer, Haven Homes, Ufuoma Ilesanmi, has won the Young Entrepreneurs International award for business leaders  who are  under 40.

The award was presented at the yearly summit of young persons who have contributed to the growth and development of their society.

After receiving the award, Ilesanmi said the recognition came as a result of the opportunity afforded her through relevant support which she got from her company and her relentless pursuit of success in her career.

She said leadership comes with  challenges and that every young person who desired  to be successful in business and other spheres of life must be ready to face them squarely and overcome.

She applauded the initiators of the summit for propelling Africans to be the best in their endeavous despite their age.

Haven Homes has been in the fore front of empowering young Nigerians, including music stars who want to be landlords in its Richmond Gate Estate.

Byy Okwy Iroegbu­Chikezie

 

Lagosians have been urged to take care of the roads in their  areas.

The General Manager, Lagos State Public Works Corporation (LSPWC), Olufemi Daramola, an engineer, made the appeal at a briefing.

According to Daramola, maintenance  carried out by the agency were threatened by some negative activities of the public such as pouring oil by mechanics and other negative attitudes.

To address the situation, he said the corporation is ‘’reinvigorating its advocacy campaign to sensitise the public man-made causes of road damage with a view to inspiring the people to take ownership of the roads’’.

‘’Habits such as burning of items on the road, discharge of waste water on the road, removal of manhole covers, excessive axle load, cooking on roads, indiscriminate cutting of roads and dumping of refuse in drains are all part of reasons why roads cannot last their supposed lifespan,’ she said’.

He pledged that some roads such as  Fatai Atere, Cappa, Fagba, and Osolo Way would receive attention as they progress.

Read Also: Two Years On: Gov. Sanwo-Olu’s scorecard, by far a pass mark

 

The GM hinted that his agency has evolved a culture of working round the clock, adding that night operations had become permanent features of its modus operandu.

On the impact  of rain, he said though  the weather has some impact on road maintenance, the corporation is prepared to take advantage of dry periods in-between to carry out maintenance.

He said weather forecast were  considered in planning work schedules while efforts were concentrated on cold mix asphalt to address pot-holes.

He pledged that the agency would continue to support the corporation to rapidly attack road defects, especially on strategic roads with high vehicular movement where pot holes and failed sections slow down movement, thereby impacting negatively on economic and social activities in the state.

For this reason, he added, the agency has sustained its effort to provide various forms of interventions in combating road defects which includes palliative works, routine maintenance and total rehabilitation.

He added: “The corporation has worked on a total of 385 roads across the state from January 2021 till date. Among the 385 roads, 100 strategic roads have been rehabilitated, while routine maintenance was carried out on over 268 roads and 17 roads were maintained using palliative approaches. The corporation hopes to work on additional 400 roads before the year ends.’’

The strategic roads done so far include: Aye/Isolo, Mushin-Isolo Local Government Area, Ileshomi Street, Oshodi LGA, Ado Badore, Eti-Osa LGA, Dailey Street, Shomolu LGA, Odogbolu Street, Surulere LGA, Keffi Street, Obalende, Lagos Island LGA.

Others are  Jakande Estate Road, Alimosho LGA, Afolabi Street, Ikotun, Alimosho LGA, Old Otta Road, Powerline Junction, Orile Agege LGA and Etunreren Street, Ikorodu Samuel Ayetutu.

 

The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) has demolished a partially collapsed structure at No 19, Church Street, Lagos Island.

Its General Manager Gbolahan Oki said it had become necessary to remove the building because it was dilapidated, distressed and unfit for habitation.

He said over 50 buildings had been marked for demolition in Lagos and that the motive was to rid the state of distressed and dilapidated buildings and stem the era of building collapse.

Oki noted that he and other officers from the agency had earlier visited the buiding to assess it and asked the residents to relocate for their safety.

The General Manager added that the agency has also identified and marked 70 dilapidated and highly distressed buildings, which would be removed to prevent collapse that could lead to loss of lives and properties.

He explained that 20 of the structures were discovered on Lagos Island alone, adding that their removal would follow due process, which include conducting a Non-Destructive test (NDT) on the structures to verify if they were fit for  habitation or needed to be renovated.

The GM reiterated that the government has zero tolerance for building collapse and that state building codes would be strictly enforced, including the need for buildings above two floors to obtain insurance as contained in the Building Regulations of 2019.

He advised developers to obtain  building permits and involve the agency  in every stage of the construction with  Certificates of Completion.

Oki appealed to residents to assist the government in actualising its objective of creating a safer Lagos by reporting substandard constructions and dilapidated structures within their locality t the agency.

The Lagos/Badagry Expressway is like a sour thumb for the Federal and Lagos State governments. It has gone through several administrations and modifications. Commuters on the axis have gone through untold hardship, including human and material losses. But now, with the speed of work and commitment, there is cherry news from government that December is sacrosanct for its completion, reports OKWY IROEGBU­CHIKEZIE

 

After years of waiting, Lagosians can now heave a sigh of relief over the  Badagry-Lagos Expressway.

This is because the state government has expressed its determination to complete the road this December.

Special Adviser, Works and Infrastructure, Aramide Adeyoye broke the news  to The Nation.

She acknowledged the hardship commuters experienced, appealing to stakeholders to continue to cooperate with the contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), to ensure the speedy delivery of the project. She promised that the completed section would be opened soon.

In the interview, Adeyoye said to boost international business, the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration prioritised the construction of the highway.

Giving a breakdown, she said: “The reconstruction and upgrading of Lagos-Badagry Expressway from Eric Moore to Okokomaiko has, in its component, the conversion of a four- lane to 10 lanes, comprising two-toll lanes, two service lanes, one-Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lane, Central reserve for two-way Light Rail Mass Transit and various support infrastructure.”

She said in fulfilment of the promise of the state government, it delivered the Agboju to Trade Fair segment of the road last year. The contractors have also completed the ten lanes from Mile 2 to Volkwagen and the service lanes of Lagos bound from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko.

The scope of works, according to Adeyoye, include provision of lay-bys for buses and service ducts, construction of pedestrian bridges, BRT Bus stops, park & ride and BRT depots, tolled link interchanges, flyovers, construction of toll plazas, road markings, road signs and traffic lights and landscaping.

The Project Manager of CCECC,    Jiang Yaowu, during a visit to the construction site told The Nation, that the delay in the delivery of the expressway was caused mainly by traffic management challenges following the huge population of people using the road per day.

According to him, more than 2,6000 vehicles ply the road daily, adding that this has contributed to safety and security challenges on the site.

He added that the high cost of acquiring materials for the project, which is higher as a result of inflation, is also a major challenge.

Yaowu, who promised to speed up work and deliver to time, assured that despite these challenges, the road  would be completed by the end of the year.

He advised motorists to be patient with the company, and that  temporary routes had been created to ease traffic congestion.

On the bridge components, Yaowu said construction would be completed before the end of  2022.The project manager, however, maintained that the state government was aware of the situation, adding that both parties were  cooperating to ameliorate the hardship faced by motorists.

Commending the various military and para-military formations, especially, the Military Cantonment, Ojo, the Department of State Security (DSS), Naval Officers Wives’ Association and the Nigeria Police for their cooperation, he said: “Palliative measures will be taken to ensure that the Trade Fair to Okokomaiko segment of the road is motorable round the year.

According to him, “The speedy completion of the reconstruction and upgrading of the 60-kilometre Lagos/Badagry Expressway from Eric Moore to Okokomaiko when completed would comprise 2 Toll lanes, two service lanes, one Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lane, Central Reserve for two-way light rail mass transit and other support infrastructure that would ease the movement of human and material goods on the international highway and boost international trade.

Earlier, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu pleaded with the Federal Government to provide adequate funding for the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, saying the state government had taken a leap to start a 10-lane highway on the international gateway and has already done almost 18 kilometers of the road.

He spoke while receiving the House of Representatives Committee on Works led by its Chairman, Hon. Abubakar Kabir Abubakar and commended the House of Representatives members for coming to Lagos for on the spot assessment of the works carried out in the state by the Federal Ministry of Works.

He said: “The Lagos-Badagry Expressway is an international gateway. We heard that Ghana, the Republic of Benin and Togo have done their own; it is a trans-West Africa corridor, which five countries pass through. But it is only the Nigerian part of it that has not been fully fixed, which is from Seme border into Lagos and go straight to the port.

“But, Lagos has taken the leap to start something. So, we are doing a 10-lane highway and we have done almost 18 kilometers of that and we are taking it to a place called Okokomaiko.”

A business man at Iyana Iba,Okeke Marsen, thanked God for the improvement on the road.

He said: “Where we are is a marketplace, a place where people going to Igando and others  going to  Alaba International is situated, how we wish the tempo should be kept on, so that suffering will be reduced.”

Financial Secretary, Yam Association seller , Oladokun Ayodele,  said: “We give glory to God and we thank the government for constructing the road  from Orile to Badagry. The contractor listens to us and gives room to do our business.

Chairman,Yamsellers Association, Olawale Balogun also commended the government on the road. He said: “If not for the COVID­19 pandemic, we believe they would have completed the road. They’re working very fast just to make sure the road is completed, even we want it like that so that our movement will be easy. People coming from Abuja can come in from Mile 2 to Iyana Iba”.

Also, Iyaloja (Woman Leader) Folabi Ege Market, Iyana Iba, Olufunmilola Martins, said: “Before you cannot stand here, you can’t  even move your car, but now we can move around. So, we say kudos to the governor and the CCECC, the contractor I really thank them, because they are doing a good job. They are also considerate to our plight as traders.”

It would be recalled that stakeholders had on separate occasions appealed to the government without avail to complete the reconstruction of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

Our Reporter

MD/CEO of West Africa’s largest real estate marketing company, Adloyalty Business Network, Dr Freeman Osonuga, has been honoured as one of the 40 under 40 CEOs in Nigeria for 2021.

The event at the Lagos Oriental Hotel on Sunday was graced by all the successful and nominated 40 under 40 award recipients.

Osonuga, who was recognised for his hard work and achievement as an entrepreneur, thanked organisers of the event, The Young Entrepreneur Summit for recognising his efforts in adding value to the economic landscape.

READ ALSO: Access Bank holds CEO awards

“This is a very happy moment for me. It is always an inspiration to receive a prestigious award like this.

” Award of this nature shows that people are watching you and impressed with your contributions,” he said.

Osonuga also reiterated his and Adloyalty Business Network’s commitment to not only satisfying their esteemed customers and stakeholders.

He assured the firm will continue to the standards for real estate marketing in West Africa and improving on value-added to the economy, society and nation.

Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Lagos State Chapter Chairman, Olabisi Demola-Alade  has advised government agencies and parastatals to engage the services of his colleagues in public assets management and valuation.

This is coming amid concerns about the usurpation of the role of professionals in the sector.

She made the call in her maiden media parley in Lagos.

She stated that like accountants and similar professionals, estate surveyors have requisite competencies, urging the administration to deepening awareness on the profession.

She said the branch has mapped out a 10-point agenda, which includes improving on members’welfare and resuscitating its visitation to about 40  estate surveyors and valuers’ firms.

“We plan to improve the relationship with the public sector, which is the regulatory sector of the economy and as the COVID-19 pandemic fizzles away, we would take advocacy of the profession to a greater height through visitation to critical stakeholders, such as community-based organisations and associations in places where its members have interest,” she stated.

On curtailing quackery, she said they were embarking on advocacy to encourage them to patronise only professionals.

She maintained that only estate surveyors and valuers have the requisite professional competence and statutory recognition under the ESVARBON Act, Decree No. 24 of 1975 now CAP E 13 LFN 2004 to execute real estate assets, management and provide professional advice.

“Unfortunately, the issue of quackery has become a big monster in our industry. There are so many people parading themselves as real estate agents who are quacks in the system. This is making it difficult to accord our members who are the real professionals the needed identification.

“We implore the public to patronise only NIESV members who are also accredited by the Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON). It is only Estate Surveyors and Valuers that have such professional competence and legal recommendation to do valuation and other real estate matters,’’ she stated.

She said: “ We are visiting  secondary schools and  higher institutions , as the pandemic fizzles away, we will take advocacy of our profession to a greater height through visitation to critical stakeholders, such as the community based organisations and associations in places where our members have interest”.

 

On mentorship, Demola-Alade said the branch would embolden its Young and Passionate Estate Surveyors and Valuers (YPESV) to host innovative and leadership programmes and provide real-time mentoring for young practitioners by senior ones and plan programmes for students through quiz and essays competitions e on a periodic bases.

 

Demola-Alade said: “We would be working on a partnership among firms. While we may not be able to determine how members undertake their ventures, partnership among professionals is always a win-win for the parties. I believe, we can find a way to encourage partnership among members to build stronger and better firms for better service provision and improved profit margin as well as encourage durable ventures.

 

As the real estate business is very reliant on accurate data, Demola-Alade stated that the institution would also carry out research and development and data project.

 

The Vice-Chairman of the branch, Mr. Gbenga Ismail, called for increased awareness on the role of professional estate surveyors and valuers in the society, stressing that this would go a long way in eliminating activities of quacks in the real estate business.

 

On the need to have Mega Firms that can take up big jobs she said: “While we may not be able to determine how members run their ventures, partnership among professionals is always a win-win for the parties. I believe we can find a way to encourage partnership among members to build stronger and better firms for better service provision and improved profit margin as well as encourage durable ventures”, she added.

By Okwy Iroegbu­Chikezie

 

The Lagos State government  has urged developers to comply with building laws rather than wait for government’s sanctions.

Its Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako gave the advice  during the stakeholders’ forum with  the theme” Developers Roundtable”, organised by the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), Lagos State Chapter.

Salako said the event was targetted at enhancing collaboration and blocking the communication gap between government and the developers.

Salako added that it was important for developers to get adequate information on the plans and activities of government to promote sustainable environment in the state in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda.

He said the government had taken many important steps towards enhancing the ease of doing business in the state.

“We have taken care to ensure that all parts of the state are covered by a planning instrument as we have vigorously prepared and reviewed Master Plans and Model City Plans, while we have awarded nine Action Area Plans and nine Development Guide Plans to give room for the sustainable development of the State,” he  said.

According to him, the government increased the number of Supervisory Directors and District Heads, devolved the Planning Permit Approval power and adopted digitisation of processes to fast­track the planning permit process. “We have also released the land under government acquisition in some parts of the state. This move, I am sure, will allow developers to tidy their approvals in the affected areas,” he said.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Urban Development, Ganiyu  Ayuba, said the vision of the government for the built environment could best be achieved  in collaboration with developers, whom he urged to apply the gains of the discussion to their activities in the built environment.

The Chairman, Lagos State Chapter of  REDAN, Mr. Bamidele Onalaja said the forum was conceived to ease the challenges faced by developers in  buildings in the state.

Onalaja said: “Getting necessary permits has become a big issue and we see the urgent need to address it.”

 

By Grace Obike, Abuja

 

An investor in the housing sector has said the Federal Capital Development Authority’s (FCDA) Land swap programme will create Africa’s largest green city.

The suspension on the swap programme was lifted by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and would be located at the Ketti district along the Airport road Abuja.

The investor, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Hongye International Limited, Moses Ayom, said the suspension is a revolutionary step to bridge infrastructural deficit as the major stumbling block for investors confidence has been lifted.

Ayom said this yesterday in a statement, which describes the decision by FEC as a further evidence of President Buhari’s commitment to fast-track Nigeria’s quest to overcome her infrastructural, housing and employment challenges.

He stated: “The decision of the Federal Executive Council to lift the suspension on the FCT Land Swap Programme is a revolutionary step to bridge the infrastructure deficit. The resolution is a further evidence of President Buhari’s endless commitment to fast-track Nigeria’s quest to overcome her infrastructural, housing and employment challenges.

“This is a new dawn for Nigeria. A major stumbling block for investor confidence has been lifted. I congratulate all Nigerians on this, with the opening of new districts, cases of traffic congestion, housing deficits, infrastructural decay and environmental hazards will become things of the past.”

He expressed delight that with this decision, his dream of establishing Africa’s largest Green Smart City in Ketti would be a reality. He further said Nigerians will soon begin to witness urbanisation programmes similar to cities like Dubai, Qatar, Schenzen and Milton Keynes.

 

Ayom assured Nigerians that the cost of housing will be drastically reduced with the various partnerships and synergies investors like him have put in place. He disclosed further that already, the Hongye group has signed a development partnership agreement with the Federal Housing Authority and other international environmental investors to develop Ketti district covering 308 hectares to international standards.

Lagos is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. Consequently, the rapid rate of urbanisation has become a major challenge. This is evident in heavy traffic, overstretched infrastructure, slum growth, sprawling developments, among others.  But, determined to check this, The New Towns Development Authority (NTDA) has scheduled several stakeholders’ meeting with communities, consultants and some government agencies. Recently, it was the turn of Ito-Omu Community and its environs in Ibeju-Lekki and Epe local government areas, reports OKWY IROEGBU­ CHIKEZIE.

 

Many governments are taking steps to decongest their metropolis, especially the state capitals,  in line with global standards, to make life better for their people.

To do this effectively, it is holding meetings with relevant stakeholders in the sector, especially the new areas that will be opened up or affected.

One of such rural areas in Lagos State is Ito-Omu, a suburb  between Ibeju-Lekki and Epe local government areas.

This is a sleepy community, which falls in the region of communities spanning across 21 villages/communities and covering 6,299.9 hectares expanse of land, making it one of the emerging towns  attracting the attention of the government in development in  the upgrade of the settlement and its environ.

For stakeholders therefore, the  utilisation of the vast area for new and future development and the integration of Ito-Omu and adjoining communities into the Lagos Development Plan will check urban sprawl and illegal developments. It will also open up the area to ensure the redistribution of physical development and urban growth.

The General Manager, New Towns Development Authority (NTDA), Olakunle Aboyeji, said the Ito-Omu project was conceived by the Authority to decongest the metropolis in line with the THEME Agenda of the Governor Sanwo­Olu administration to create satellite towns that will encourage the development of the rural areas.

“The administration of Mr. Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu was, particularly, in support of the development of Ito-Omu community project because of its anticipated benefits as it was planned to compete with modern cities in the world and open the state to more investment opportunities, which will, in turn, address issues of unemployment and other infrastructural deficit in the state,” he stated.

The Team lead, Observatory Earth Analytics (OEA) Consults, Adekunle Osude, presented the mapping of Ito-Omu and its environs in an analysis of the city, covering the survey, topography and terrain, population census, houses, villages, alignments with considerations for accessibility to the larger metropolis.

The representatives of the various government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA’s), and other parties expressed optimism on the project, adding that the successful delivery of the project was their priority and goal. They pledged to pull their wealth of experience together to ensure its delivery.

A representative from Ministry of Works & Infrastructure (MW&I), Olutokunbo Oyenuga, an engineer, advised that there should be synergy between the alignments being used for the project with that of the Lekki Masterplan.

A representative from Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Omololu Obayomi, said: ‘’Lekki Comprehensive Master Plan was about to be reviewed and he would ensure that all the development from Ito-Omu was captured in it.

The Head, Town Planning Services Department, NTDA, Olusola Orebiyi,  noted that the Authority has intimated the communities on the project. “We have been engaging the communities through the Oba of Ito-Omu and the Baales in the villages by preparing their minds ahead of the commencement of the project and the immense benefits that will come to the residents”.

He pledged that subsequent meetings would be looking into  the preparation of physical planning development guidelines for the site situation and future land use projections.

Others are how to create a new city that will further enhance the mega city status of the state in accordance with the THEMES Agenda of the administration.

Our Reporter

RealtyPros Investment Global Limited, a real estate company, has launched an investment platform aimed at financing the construction of housing projects across Nigeria.

The scheme, RealtyPin, is to finance the development of over 200 housing units within the next 24 months, providing homeownership opportunities to families and reducing the housing demand challenges nationwide.

The real estate development company with key projects in various parts of the country including Lagos, Delta, Imo, Enugu, Port Harcourt and Anambra shared plans to partner with property developers and construction companies and through RealtyPin, provide the much-needed funds to construct affordable residential houses, thus helping mop up the massive housing deficit in
Nigeria.

Speaking at the product launch, CEO of RealtyPros IGL, Engineer Obinna Azonobi, explained that the initiative seeks to bring a more sustainable solution to risky and unproductive real estate investment and create potential opportunities for prepared investors.

“The real estate industry has continued to experience unparalleled growth over the decades, but with a population of over 200 million Nigerians, over 17 million people are still without a home and considering the current trend in construction, developers aren’t building enough homes to meet this demand.

READ ALSO: Expert advises govt, others on ‘affordable homes’

“This may be partly due to challenges such as lack of funds to build, inflation and constant hike in the price of building materials and skilled labor among other issues, RealtyPin wholly addresses all these challenges. Through RealtyPin, investors can invest in real estate constructions to earn annual returns, the funds invested are then used to construct affordable homes and acquire landed properties for construction in multiple states across the country.

“The launch of RealtyPin will facilitate inclusion in the real estate industry by fostering collaborations in the real estate value chain. From the diverse network and groups of realtors selling the constructed homes to construction material suppliers, insurance companies, investment bankers, and Nigerians seeking better ways to put their idle funds to use, all parties jointly work towards the single purpose of building and delivering the next affordable home,” Azonobi said.

Explaining more on the initiative, the company’s Sales Director, Okechukwu Okagbue, explained: “This initiative is an offshoot of the company’s commitment to make real estate investment readily accessible and affordable to all. The initiative has investment options for both land and residential properties for individuals and groups.”

He also stated that Investment options starts at an entry point of N500, 000 for the Land buy back scheme which channels investments to the acquisition and sales of Landed properties, and N10, 000,000 for the Project Buy-in which channels the investments to construction projects. Both investment classes span cycles of 12 to 24 months with returns ranging from 20 to 65%.