By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The verification of land titles within the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway industrial acquisitions and the Oluyole Industrial acquisition by the Oyo State government has begun.
The Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr Williams Funmilayo, is leading the enforcement team.
Others on the entourage included the Permanent Secretary (Lands), Mrs Mofoluke Adebiyi; the Special Adviser to the Governor on Land Matters, Akinshete Olakunle; the Special Assistant on Housing and Urban Development, Mr Dairo Lanre; the General Manager for Private Networks Nigeria Ltd, Mr Ladigbolu Ayodeji; and some directors and other staff members of the Ministry, among others.
During a tour of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway axis, he said the idea was to enable the state government to have proper records of properties in the state.
According to him, the state government is conducting joint physical site inspections to verify and identify developments without formal integration or building plan approval in and around the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway industrial acquisitions and Oluyole Industrial acquisition.
He stated that required notices were served on the identified illegal structures to enforce proper management of State Land and ensure that internally generated revenue (IGR) is guaranteed.
In addition, the existing companies were requested to pay their land use charges at the right time while default notices were served on defaulters.
The Commissioner warned the companies to desist from illegal development without necessary approvals and delay in payment of statutory fees such as land use charges, assessment bills, taxes etc into government coffers.
Some organisations visited were AP Filling Station along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Valency Agro, Lebrony Agro Ltd, RCC Quarry Site, Ubereness Nigeria Ltd and Jubaili Seed Company.