Some residents of the Lateef Kayode Jakande Estate in Igando, Lagos State, have been reported for engaging in energy theft by bypassing the electrical connections installed in their apartments.
Following an enforcement exercise at the estate, the Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, has warned residents of government-owned estates against engaging in unethical practices that violate the rules and regulations outlined in their allocation letters.
In recent times, the Ministry of Housing has been inundated with reports of energy theft, neglect of shared facilities, refusal to pay statutory estate dues, and other violations.
These acts, the government stated, are troubling examples of residents flouting regulations in Lagos government-owned estates, which are occupied by allottees who either purchased the homes outright or acquired them through the Rent-To-Own scheme.
In a statement issued by Ganiu Lawal, Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the Ministry of Housing, on Thursday, Akinderu-Fatai emphasised that the ministry would not tolerate residents bypassing or abandoning existing infrastructure such as water systems, electricity, and other shared services.
He noted that such actions, including the installation of individual solutions, disrupt the estate’s landscape and communal order.
The Commissioner also condemned the actions of some residents who broke the seals on apartments that had previously been sealed for violations. He warned that there would be severe consequences for such violations.
While some residents appealed for leniency, the ministry maintained that it would no longer condone such misconduct in any of the state’s housing estates.
“The Lagos State Government has provided all facilities needed in government-owned estates; the maintenance of such facilities is the responsibility of residents through the state government-appointed facilities managers,” the statement read partly.
“The residents were also reminded that every Lagos State government housing estate is designed to ensure ideal communal living and that resident representatives should be supported to ensure sustainability of the estate facilities,” it added.