Lagos Governor asks Fashola to return state's assets

Lagos state Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has called on his predecessor, Babatunde Fashola to release the states disused and disputed assets in possession of the Federal Government.

The Governor called on the current Minister of Works, Power and Housing on Tuesday, June 20, 2017, after he received the report of the Special Committee on Federal Government Assets in Lagos State.

He urged the minister to use his influence as a representative of the state in the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to ensure the return of the assets, as, "They are no longer in use for the purpose the apex government acquired it".

Praising the committee's report, the Governor said, "The report of the committee has come at a time when the state government is in dire need of space for development projects that would improve the socio-economic wellbeing of its residents in line with the socio-economic realities of present times.

"We hope this initiative will end the long standing dispute between the federal and state governments over the disused lands, buildings and disputed quarters in various parts of the state.

"These assets are no longer in use for the purposes for which they were originally released to the federal government. We are hopeful this report will get favorable response from the federal government now that these assets are no longer in use for the purposes they were acquired."

The committee, chaired by, Chief Femi Okunnu, former Federal Commissioner for Works, lamented the state of the abandoned assets of the Federal Government in the state.

Tracing the history of the assets, Okunnu said, "Title to the whole of Ikoyi including Osborn Foreshore, Banana Island is vested in the government of Lagos State. We have other areas we have covered.

"The state owned Festac Town. The title to the town is vested in the government of Lagos State. Federal Housing Authority (FHA) is the tenant of the Government of Lagos State indeed. Also, the title to the Trade Fair site is vested in Lagos State.

"The government of Lagos State acquired the Land of the Trade Fair site. But the federal government gave a promise to pay the state compensation which was to be paid to the original owners of the land. That compensation was not paid.

"It is the federal government which should prove title to any land, which it claims to own in Lagos State. The land on which the International Trade Fair Complex was situated was acquired for the purpose of the trade fair, but the place had been turned into market.

"Federal Secretariat gives me sadness because I built it when I was the Federal Commissioner for Works. The land upon which federal secretariat is situated is part of the Crown land, which is now state land.

"The title to the Crown land is vested in Lagos State. But Brigadier Mobolaji Johnson agreed to release that land to the federal government when they wanted to build federal secretariat.

"We hope that discussions between Lagos State Government and federal government on hand over of federal lands, state lands within Lagos and disuse or surplus lands which federal government, especially defence and prisons are still occupying in Lagos are resolved.

"Large parcels of the land are now surplus to what is required under the land. We hope that discussions between Lagos State and federal governments will be held to settle this palaver once and for all."

The committee includes human rights activist, Femi Falana,Mrs. Victoria Alonge, a partner at Simmons Cooper, and Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Lands Bureau, Olabode Agoro, among others.

Governor Ambode had created the committee to put an end to jurisdictional disagreement between the federal and state governments over the disused lands, buildings and disputed quarters.