The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Homeowners

  • Homeowners’ charter: We’ve fulfilled our promise, says Amosun

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun says his administration has fulfilled the promise made to the people on homeowners’ charter programme, to ensure that successful applicants under the scheme receive title documents of their properties.

    Governor Amosun stated this during the 40th and final batch of the formal presentation of Certificates of Occupancy and Building Plan Approval to beneficiaries, at the Arcade Ground, Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

    Amosun, represented by the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Adewale Oshinowo, said 86.2 percent applications were executed out of 40,794 qualified applicants that fully paid for the C of O, saying 82.3 percent building plan approval out of 37,828 applications were also granted by the Ministry of Urban and Physical Planning.

    ‘’We have been able to fulfill our promise at ensuring that all qualified applicants under homeowners’ charter programme received the desired titled documents of their properties. The outstanding 13.8 percent qualified applications are work in progress, which would be processed and picked at the Bureau of Lands and Survey subsequently.

    ‘’82.3 percent building plan approval out of 37, 828 applications granted by Ministry of Urban and Physical Planning, 8.4 percent applicants refused to process their applications further and 9.3 percent would be processed and picked up at the Ministry”, he said.

    The Governor assured that other qualified applicants that are yet to receive their documents would be invited by the Bureau of Lands and Survey and Ministry of Urban and Physical Planning to pick up their land title documents.

    In his opening remark, the Director, Land Management, Bureau of  Lands and Survey, Mr. Fatai Adeboyejo congratulated the beneficiaries, describing the documents presented to them as  treasure to be valued at all times and used to create wealth.

    Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Fashina Oluyinka from Isorosi, Ado-Odo Ota Local Government Area said, the State government has done well for the people of the State.

  • Amosun to homeowners: partner govt

    Amosun to homeowners: partner govt

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has urged Homeowners in the State to partner with his administration by paying their taxes so as to fulfil the remaining promises to the citizenry.

    Amosun spoke during the distribution of Certificates of Occupancy (C of Os) and building plan approvals to another batch of beneficiaries at the Arcade Ground, Governor’s Office, Oke- Mosan, Abeokuta.

    According to a statement by the press officer in the Bureau of Lands and Survey, Mr. Passover Adeshina, the governor, who was represented by Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mrs. Modupe Mujota, urged residents as responsible citizens to perform their civic responsibilities  by paying their taxes to aid socio-economic development of the state.

    The Head, Stamp Duty and Land Matters, Ogun State Internal Revenue Services  (OGIRS), Mr. Olakunle Olayemi said  the Home Owners’ Charter Programmes had improved from monthly to bi-monthly and thousands of beneficiaries had collected their land title documents.

    Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Joseph Ebeatu from Sango-Ota, thanked the government.

  • ‘Homeowners’ charter has cut fraud’

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has said his administration’s Homeowners Charter Programme has reduced the problem of land speculators and other property-related fraud in the state.

    Amosun spoke yesterday in Abeokuta, the capital, while presenting Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) and other land title documents to beneficiaries.

    A statement by the Press Officer in the Bureau of Lands and Survey, Mr. Passover Adeshina, quoted the governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Otunba Dayo Adeneye, as saying his administration had shown serious commitment by embarking on the bi-monthly presentation of certificates to beneficiaries.

    Amosun said: “When we conceptualised the Homeowner Charter Progamme in 2013, sceptics regarded it as a mere political talk. But over the years, we have not only proved them wrong but we have also demonstrated the will to match our words with action.

    “It has been a success story by putting smiles on the faces of thousands of residents and non-residents. It has reduced disputes relating to property ownership, the problem of land speculators and property-related fraud.”

    The governor said the scheme is another lofty policy trust of his administration aimed at providing data for medium-term planning for formulation and implementation of the Mission to Rebuild Ogun State.

    Acting Surveyor-General Ken-Salem Onasosen urged beneficiaries to inform their neighbours, friends and families about the authenticity of the scheme and the need to cooperate with the government to deliver dividends of democracy to residents.

  • ‘CDAs instrumental to success in homeowners’ charter scheme’

    ‘CDAs instrumental to success in homeowners’ charter scheme’

    Ogun State GovernorIbikunle Amosun has lauded the efforts of over 8,000 Community Development Associations (CDAs) for supporting Homeowners Charter Programme by sensitising land and home owners in various communities to embrace the scheme.

    Amosun spoke during the presentation of Certificate of Occupancy and other land title documents to another batch of beneficiaries at the Obas Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

    ‘’Since the inception of this programme, the over 8,000 CDAs in the State have been mobilised to sensitise land and building owners to embrace the programme. I am happy that the initiative has yielded positive results as several residents in the State have shown interest in the programme. Consequently, thousands of people have benefited from it,” he said.

    The governor, represented by the Commissioner for Community Development and Cooperatives,  Gbenga Adenmosun, said government determination at ensuring speedy issuance of the certificate necessitated the ratification by its executive council to carry-out distribution bi-monthly assuring other expectant applicants not to lose faith in the scheme as the processes has been reviewed for better results.

    Head of Service, Mr. Abayomi Sobande, said Ogun government was committed to the welfare of its citizens and has been consistent in the distribution of C of O under the scheme.

    Ogun State Commissioner for Urban and Physical Planning, Mr. Adebola Adeife (middle), flanked by other executive members and Homeowners’ Charter beneficiaries at the Arcade Ground, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta on Thursday.

    He urged the beneficiaries to play their roles by spreading the good news about the authenticity of the scheme, saying they should continue to comply with the urban renewal regulations of the present administration to forestall sanctions.

    The Surveyor-General of the State, Surv. Onososen Ken-Salem, congratulated the beneficiaries, urging them to be the mouthpiece of government on the scheme by encouraging their neighbours who were yet to make payments to do so.

    Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Segun Olakunde from Sango-Ota thanked the state government for making good its promise of authenticating their homeownership.

  • Homeowners’ charter: Ogun to give 1000 CofO to beneficiaries

    Homeowners’ charter: Ogun to give 1000 CofO to beneficiaries

    The Ogun State Government will be presenting 1000 Certificates of Occupancy and other title documents to another batch of beneficiaries under the Homeowners’ Charter Programme conceived by the administration of  Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

    The Director-General, Bureau of Lands and Survey, Mr. Biyi Ismail, in a statement,  said beneficiaries would collect their documents on June 22  at the Arcade Ground, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

    He urged all contacted beneficiaries to come with valid means of identification. They are to be at the venue by 8am for accreditation.

  • ‘Why we introduced Homeowners’ Charter’

    ‘Why we introduced Homeowners’ Charter’

    The desire to save residents and home owners living in areas under government acquisition from hardship and loss of properties may have been the reason behind the introduction of the Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s HomeOwners’ Charter scheme.

    With this initiative, buildings in border town areas between the Ogun and Lagos states like Agbado, Akute, Mowe, Ibafo, have been saved from demolition.

    The Ogun state commissioner for Urban and Physical planning, Mr. Adebola Adeife, in a chat with The Nation, also revealed that most of the buildings in those areas had no title documents to their lands because of indiscriminate disregard for procedure on the part of builders as well as because the areas were under acquisition by the state government.

    “When you talk of the peripheral areas or slums, most people occupy them illegally. Agbado, Akute .Agbado, for instance, are completely under acquisition. The property owners there don’t have legal titles in the core areas, but for those houses that have titles, the Homeowners’ Charter has helped them as they will be accommodated in the envelopment system for development,” he explained.

    Adeife explained that while the Amosun administration embarked on urban renewal initiatives, it realised that the slum areas and acquisition areas already built up could not be overlooked, hence the resort of the administration to envelopment development. He explained ‘envelopment’ concept as a system in which a built up area is incorporated into an urban renewal scheme without demolishing existing structures, and yet provided with modern facilities to suit human habitation.

    He explained that the process of urban renewal is in two phases- the major roads, which have to be in their proper shape and proper urban regeneration. Adeife noted that the road aspect had almost been completed with all the major roads around the capital city widened and properly modernised to international standards.

    “It is partly to solve the issue of slums and it has to a large extent afforded people the opportunity to have legal rights on the land they occupy and to have building approvals. The Homeowners’ Charter has helped people to avoid the long, windy and probably corrupted previous process,” Adeife said, adding that the Homeowners charter had brought more benefits and succor to applicants than the normal process of getting Certificates of Occupancy.

    So far, he further revealed, the Homeowner Charter, introduced as a stop gap measure, will come to an end after all the applicants have receive their Cs-of-O. The volume of applications received under the scheme, Adeife said, surpassed the expectations of the government such that it was forced to extend the closing period.

    This, coupled with the desire to follow the proper procedure to the letter, has slowed down the issuance process. So far, between 20, 000 or 25, 000 Cs-of-O are ready for issuance, but they are being delayed to avoid probable litigation in the future. For instance, Adeife explained that names of those to be given the C-of-O must be published in national dailies for 21 days as required by the law and if there is no objection, it will be issued to the applicant.

  • HomeOwners’ Charter: Amosun distributes ninth batch of Cs of O

    HomeOwners’ Charter: Amosun distributes ninth batch of Cs of O

    The Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has distributed the ninth batch of Homeowner’s Charter Scheme Certificate of Occupancy to beneficiaries in Abeokuta, the state capital. He was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Taiwo Adeoluwa.
    The Governor used the occasion to assure citizens that all programmes aimed at realising the re-building mission of his administration would be realised and all on-going projects would be completed and delivered as scheduled.
    He applauded all concerned agencies for ensuring the success of the programme, pointing out that critics, who had despised the initiative at inception, had seen its sincerity of purpose from the cooperation and number of C of O dispatched so far.
    He, therefore, appealed for support and understanding of the people in the face of dwindling economic challenges, promising that no stone would be left unturned at making the state self-sustaining.
    “We are working round the clock to increase our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) so that our state can be self-sustaining and reduce over-reliance on the federal allocation,” he said.
    In a similar vein, the Permanent Secretary, Ogun State Civil Service Commission, Mrs. Amope Chokor, said the Home-Owners’ Charter programme was designed by the state to enable property owners possess legal titles on their land. She said it would be a continuous process as it would help government to know the areas where there was serious infrastructural deficit.
    Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Motunrayo Ogundipe commended the state government for its sincerity, saying that many people, who doubted the government’s good intentions on the scheme at inception, have now seen that the Amosun government is sincere.
    It would be recalled that on December 16, 2013, the state government had initiated the Home Owners’ Charter Scheme aimed at making landlords obtain their Certificates of Occupancy at 78 per cent discount.

  • HomeOwners’ Charter: Amosun distributes ninth batch of C of O

    HomeOwners’ Charter: Amosun distributes ninth batch of C of O

    The Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has distributed the ninth batch of Homeowner’s Charter Scheme Certificate of Occupancy to beneficiaries in Abeokuta, the state capital. He was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Taiwo Adeoluwa.

    The Governor used the occasion to assure citizens that all programmes aimed at realising the re-building mission of his administration would be realised and all on-going projects would be completed and delivered as scheduled.

    He applauded all concerned agencies for ensuring the success of the programme, pointing out that critics, who had despised the initiative at inception, had seen its sincerity of purpose from the cooperation and number of C of O dispatched so far.

    He, therefore, appealed for support and understanding of the people in the face of dwindling economic challenges, promising that no stone would be left unturned at making the state self-sustaining.

    “We are working round the clock to increase our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) so that our state can be self-sustaining and reduce over-reliance on the federal allocation,” he said.

    In a similar vein, the Permanent Secretary, Ogun State Civil Service Commission, Mrs. Amope Chokor, said the Home-Owners’ Charter programme was designed by the state to enable property owners possess legal titles on their land. She said it would be a continuous process as it would help government to know the areas where there was serious infrastructural deficit.

    Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Motunrayo Ogundipe commended the state government for its sincerity, saying that many people, who doubted the government’s good intentions on the scheme at inception, have now seen that the Amosun government is sincere.

    It would be recalled that on December 16, 2013, the state government had initiated the Home Owners’ Charter Scheme aimed at making landlords obtain their Certificates of Occupancy at 78 per cent discount.

  • Court restrains firm from harassing homeowners

    Justice Abisoye Bashua  of a Lagos State High Court sitting in Epe has granted an interlocutory injunction restraining CMB Building Maintenance and Investment Company Limited, from harassing and restricting the movement of homeowners within the Pearl Garden Estate situated at Sangotedo Village in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the state.

    Justice  Bashua granted the injunction last week while delivering a ruling in an application filed by some of the homeowners against CMB(property and the estate management agents) and  the Oyetubo Jokotade Estate Resource Limited (previous landowners).

    The court further restrained the defendants,  their agents and privies from interfering with the rights of the homeowners in providing safe and drinkable water for themselves and their family members.

    He  said the order would subsist pending the hearing an determination of the substantive suit.

    The court held that the claimants have provided sufficient proof of ownership of the property through the deed of purchase assignment in their affidavit deposed to in support of  their  application.

    The court also observed that  several homeowners had obtained their individual Governor’s Consent and the defendants in their submission did not deny the established legal rights of the homeowners which entitles them to the restraining orders sought.

    Justice Bashua emphasised that  this development  prompted the court to exercise its discretion in  favour of the claimants,  Pearl Garden Estate Homeowners,  in order to protect their established legal rights in the interest of justice.

    The Judge, however declined the request of the claimants for the suspension of  the demand and collection of N650,000 reticulation charges and the unilaterally imposed N35,000 security fees on the homeowners by CMB.

    The Court noted that the validity of the N650,000 reticulation charges and the unilaterally imposed N35,000 fee by CMB were part of disputed issues which are to be determined in the substantive suit hence the court cannot make any pronouncement on them at the stage of the interlocutory proceedings.

    The trial judge directed all parties to make appearance in court for case management unfailingly on the next adjourned date of December 10, 2015.

    Messrs Francis Adesuyi, Felix Obiakor, Martin Ajayi-Obe and Peter Afenotan in representative capacity on behalf of themselves and all interested homeowners within the Pearl Garden Estate had instituted a N100 million suit against CMB Building Maintenance and Investment Company Limited and the previous owners of the estate, and  the Oyetubo Jokotade Estate Resource Limited.

    The claimants had dragged the defendants before the court over the alleged incessant harassment, molestation and imposition of arbitrary charges on homeowners and residents of the estate particularly the reticulation charges contrary to the express terms of their contract.

     

     

  • Homeowners sue developer for N100m over arbitrary charges

    Homeowners in Pearl Garden Estate, at Sangotedo Village in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State have filed a N100 million class action suit against a property developer, Oyetubo Jokotade Estate Resource Limited, over alleged incessant harassment and imposition of arbitrary charges.

    The claimants in the suit included Messrs Francis Adesuyi, Felix Obiakor, Martin Ajayi-Obe and Peter Afenotan. They filed the N100 million suit on behalf of themselves and all interested homeowners within the Pearl Garden Estate.

    The claimants filed the suit before a Lagos State High Court sitting in Epe, headed by  Justice Abisoye Bashua.

    Joined  as second defendant is CMB Building Maintenance and Investment Company Limited, in charge of providing estate management services to the claimants.

    In the suit, the claimants are asking the court for a declaration that the incessant harassment, restriction of movement and the imposition of arbitrary charges on them by the defendants as illegal and unlawful.

    They also asked the court to declare that the refusal of the second defendant to allow them install borehole in their homes as illegal and unlawful.

    They had prayed the court for “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, jointly and severally, their agent, privies and cronies from further demanding or collecting reticulation charges in the sum of N650,000 or any other sums from the claimants contrary to the express terms of the Deeds of Assignment and the Sale and Management Agreement.

    “A Mandatory Order directing the second respondent to refund to the claimants and other residents all monies collected forcefully as part or full payments of the unlawful imposition of the reticulation charges and the unilateral estate charges immediately to the respective claimants and other homeowners.”

    They also asked for an order restraining the defendants from further harassing them and also the sum of N100 million as general damages for the barricade, destruction of property and unlawful denial of the claimants access to the estate on March 13,2013.

    At the hearing last Thursday, counsel to the respondents, Mr R.A. Aladesanmi, said they had filed an application asking the court to stay proceedings on the suit, pending a referral from arbitration proceedings.

    Aladesanmi argued that all purchases of the land entered into an arbitration agreement contained in their individual sale and management agreement, adding that the appropriate place to resolve the dispute was arbitration.

    But counsel to the claimants, Mr Adeyinka Adeyemi, objected to the application, arguing that some of the parties in the suit did not sign the arbitration clause.

    Adeyemi argued that it was ironic that the same defendants asking for arbitration had filed notices of appeal at the Court of Appeal against a previous order of the court, which restrained them from restricting the claimants from the estate.

    Adeyemi further submitted that the said agreement was entered between some of the claimants and the first respondent, adding that the second defendant (BCM) was not a party to the agreement.

    “As at now, there is no appointed body to even conduct the arbitration. They have not taken any step to show that arbitration has commenced. The arbitration is inexistent so the court cannot stay proceedings.

    “The claimants in view of this submitted that  ”It will be gross injustice for the matter to be referred to arbitration that is non-existent and that which has not even commenced as papers are yet to be filed to that effect,”he said.

    After taking the submissions of the parties, Justice Bashua adjourned the matter till May 21, for ruling.