Lagos State Government yesterday lamented the deployment of soldiers to Ilubrin Housing Estate and Oyingbo market, noting that the action had stopped the construction of 1,188 housing units for the residents of the state. The state government also said the military officers were deployed to the two project sites on the ground that some agents of the federal government allegedly invaded the parcels of land, though documents showed that the land belonged to the state.The Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), made the allegation at the celebration of his 2,500 days in office at Lagos Television, Agidingbi, which was attended by former governors, Brig. Mobolaji Johnson and Alhaji Lateef Jakande among others.He said: “On my way to work, I observed at Ilubirin where we have started the construction of 1, 188 housing units, somebody has gone ahead to erect a signpost there, claiming that the federal government owns the land.”
The governor lamented that the land “had been there for the last five years. The contract for reclaiming it was awarded by the Lagos State Government to Julius Berger Plc during the administration of my predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Bola Tinubu. SEE MORE AFTER CUT>>>>>>
“In January, we awarded contract for the construction, suddenly the federal government realised and began to claim ownership of the land. I was told the Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, was there on Saturday with soldiers."
He therefore expressed concerns that denial and deprivation "are what the residents of Lagos get for 1.2 million votes cast in favour of the President, Goodluck Jonathan, in the last election. This is a threat to the Lagos State housing initiative. It is a threat to the downtrodden in the state looking up to the state government to provide homes for them.”
Also, the governor said the contractor working at Oyingbo market had stopped, due to what he described as the activities of some agents of the federal government, who had moved fully armed military personnel to the project site in Oyingbo.
Also, the governor said the contractor working at Oyingbo market had stopped, due to what he described as the activities of some agents of the federal government, who had moved fully armed military personnel to the project site in Oyingbo.
He said they “are claiming that they own the land. The land is the land next to Mainland Hotel. That was part of the land that Brigadier Mobolaji Johnson acquired during his tenure as governor of Lagos state and when Alhaji Femi Okunnu was Federal Commissioner for Works.
“In documents handed over to the state government, Okunnu clearly indicated that the land belonged to the state government. The land has been unused for many years. It was until we started the Lagos HOMS initiative that we decided to build 48 flats there.
“We started building. Then people came with soldiers and said that the land belonged to the Federal Government. So, that is the reason why the contractor is not working any more. They used soldier to stop the contractors from working.”
He, also lamented the poor representation of Lagos State in the Federal Executive Council, noting that the state did not have any representation in Jonathan’s cabinet until about two weeks ago when Obanikoro was appointed.
Contrary to what some people claimed, the governor said Lagos “does not have two ministers. Under this administration, Lagos just had its fair share of the ministerial appointment two weeks ago. Mr. Olusegun Aganga does not represent Lagos. For me, Aganga is from Edo state. To his credit, he has supported Lagos State initiatives, especially the Lagos Trade Free Zone.”
He criticised the position of junior minister allocated to the state, which he said, gave Jonathan 1.2 million votes, noting that all the other states “got minister except Lagos state. Until two weeks ago when they realised that 2015 is close by, that is the reward for the vote the president got from Lagos state.
“As if that was not bad enough, we were given junior minister. That is the reality. But some states that had the population less than the number of vote cast for the president in Lagos got full minister.”
“In documents handed over to the state government, Okunnu clearly indicated that the land belonged to the state government. The land has been unused for many years. It was until we started the Lagos HOMS initiative that we decided to build 48 flats there.
“We started building. Then people came with soldiers and said that the land belonged to the Federal Government. So, that is the reason why the contractor is not working any more. They used soldier to stop the contractors from working.”
He, also lamented the poor representation of Lagos State in the Federal Executive Council, noting that the state did not have any representation in Jonathan’s cabinet until about two weeks ago when Obanikoro was appointed.
Contrary to what some people claimed, the governor said Lagos “does not have two ministers. Under this administration, Lagos just had its fair share of the ministerial appointment two weeks ago. Mr. Olusegun Aganga does not represent Lagos. For me, Aganga is from Edo state. To his credit, he has supported Lagos State initiatives, especially the Lagos Trade Free Zone.”
He criticised the position of junior minister allocated to the state, which he said, gave Jonathan 1.2 million votes, noting that all the other states “got minister except Lagos state. Until two weeks ago when they realised that 2015 is close by, that is the reward for the vote the president got from Lagos state.
“As if that was not bad enough, we were given junior minister. That is the reality. But some states that had the population less than the number of vote cast for the president in Lagos got full minister.”
1 comments:
Write commentsforgive me for saying this,even though i don't support the said on going housing project by gov. fashola because it was and never be for the poor when finally completed,the bastard that lagos gave birth to has grown up and is out for vengeance,but please tell him,his past DEEDS still dey cooler and he will surely unequivocally account for it.
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