When it was built 36 years ago, Festac Town, Lagos was dubbed “Little London” because of its state-of-the-art infrastructure. The once beautiful town is now a shadow of itself, with the collapse of virtually all its infrastructure. Stakeholders have met on how to restore the town’s glory, reports OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE.
Festac Town was well-planned. At the height of its glory, it was where many preferred to live. Initial house and land owners got them through a ballot system with a proviso forbidding them from renting and disposing of the properties to third parties. But all that has changed. The town is now disorganised and uncoordinated.
The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) has asked residents to pay ground rent to pave way for a comprehensive urban renewal. They are also to stop from changing the character of the estate. The Lagos State Government also insists on residents paying the Land Use Act, but the latter maintained that they will only pay when they see evidence of infrastructural development and urban renewal.
FHA’s position
FHA Managing Director Terver Gemade said the residents have departed from the authorities original design and concept. He said: ”Housing units were allocated to winners/tenants on mortgage repayment basis spanning a period of 25 years, now eight years after the expiration of the mortgage tenure, some of the residents are still unable to pay up in spite of the foreclosure clauses (which have been difficult to enforce due to constant litigations).’’ He accused the tenants of contraventions in town planning rules, abuse of use of facilities and wanton conversion of residential properties to commercial purposes.
Gemade also observed that premises were overcrowded with a large percentage of alterations and attachments. He decried the unhygienic premises of most of the flats, disused containers, illegal workshops and use of open spaces. He insisted that except residents comply with the terms of the lease and pay statutory fees, the path to achieving the old glory may not be easy.
On what they have been able to do at the resident, he said following the take–over of the Ishasi Water works by the Lagos State Government via a court judgment, the authority established a mini-water works on 22 Road. The authority for so many years paid huge sums of money to the Lagos Water Corporation to augment supply of water from the mini-water works.
Gemade said, however, that the project could not continue because of the indifference of the residents to pay services. He said the authority is partnering Messrs Kopila Water Technology. He regretted that most residents were reluctant to tap into the project.
The FHA boss said some roads have been rehabilitated and some infrastructural services in the town had been upgraded.
Residents’stand
President of the residents association, Comrade Jola Ogunlusi, said they are resisting the imposed Land Use Charge from Lagos State Government and Ground Rent from FHA because of the lack of infrastructure in the estate. Furthermore, he maintained that they have not received demand notice from FHA to pay the controversial ground rent, which he said, was fixed without the consent of the residents. He said the residents are prepared to negotiate the terms with the Lagos State Government. He accused FHA of disregarding their complaints of contraventions and conversion of open spaces to shops and other illegal abodes by some residents because of their complicity.
Ogunlusi said they have written to FHA about the selling of the buffer zone to some highly placed people to the resident’s detriment without any positive response.
He said over 20 roads are in poor condition, making life difficult for residents. He commended the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Chairman, Mr Ayodele Adewale, for rehabilitating some of the roads. He lamented that other government agencies are more interested in taxes.
On their demands, Ogunlusi asked for a connection road and bridge between the estate and Abule Ado, stressing that 60 per cent of revenue made from the town should be ploughed into the development of the estate.
Fed Govt’s stance
Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ms Ama Pepple, criticised the residents for failing to live up to their civic responsibilities by not paying their ground rents and land use charge. She criticised them for dragging the government to court instead of paying their statutory dues. Pepple insisted that except they pay their taxes, the urban renewal and regeneration plan of the government may not succeed. The minister frowned at the accusations the residents levied against FHA of complicity in selling buffer zones and illegal allocations and asked for proof to help the government investigate it.
Lagos State’s perspective
Special Assistant to Governor Babatunde Fashola, Mr Bola Shodipo, criticised residents for not paying their taxes and expecting development. He warned that if they continue to be recalcitrant in the issue of paying tax, development may continue to elude them as the government cannot use taxes paid in other estates to develop them.
Earlier, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Toyin Ayinde, asked the FHA to resubmit the master plan of the estate to establish what it was before and now. He warned that flagrant disregard to town planning laws of the estate would attract severe sanctions.
Amuwo- Odofin LG
Mr Adewale asked the various agencies of the government to look into the infrastructure needs of the residents such as good road, water provision, sewage plants and provision of street lights. He asked for efficient management of the buffer zone to protect it.
He decried the insecurity in the estate and asked the government to do something urgently about it. He also listed his achievements in road construction, the environment and other areas and asked that other strata of the government should complement the efforts of the local government.
