Lagos Dashes Hopes of Diasporan Investors in Oko-Orisan Waterfront Scheme

Bennett Oghifo

When in 2010 the Lagos State Government advertised its Oko-Orisan Waterfront Residential Land Scheme, many Diasporans were elated, not only because they wanted a home in Lagos, but also because of their “perceived” safety of their investment in the hands of the Lagos State Government. Regardless, things went south or so it now seems, unless Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu wades into the matter.

Subscribers to the Oko-Orisan waterfront scheme are feeling victims of what they now realize is an imperfect land administration system in Lagos State. They have become distraught from the frustration brought on them by the government (LASG) which they feel they ought to run to for succour.

In view of their disappointment and frustrations, in the hands of the Lagos State government, a number of those that had invested in the land purchase scheme including Mr. Hakeem Ibrahim have recently formed a group (Oko-Orisan Waterfront Scheme Subscribers Group), for the purpose of engaging with the state government.

According to Ibrahim, “In 2012, I purchased a piece of land in the Lagos State Government Oko-Orisan Waterfront Scheme in the Lekki area of Lagos State. Some other subscribers bought into the scheme as far back as 2010. The fee I paid for the plot was N3.8 million only, though I was receipted for only N3.3 million, out of the amount I paid. We were all issued original copies of allocation letters and official receipts from the Lands Bureau of the office of the Governor. My personal allocation letter was dated May 12, 2012. We have severally visited the appropriate offices of the LASG in Alausa, to inquire about progress, and the relevant officials of the LASG have always confirmed and assured that our documentations are genuine and valid.”

More than 12 years later, the situation has not changed. They still do not have their allocation. “The challenge today, is since our consummation of the contract with the LASG, we are yet to be physically allotted our plots in the scheme. The official reason the government officials have given for this is that since around 2013, the scheme had been suspended to allow for redesigning. However, unconfirmed reasons include the following – attempt by LASG to abandon the scheme to re-allocate the plots to wealthy and influential figures in society; attempt by LASG to move subscribers to a different and ‘less attractive’ schemes/location, amongst others.”

The group requests the LASG, without further delay, to fulfil its part of the contract, “by responding to our request and allotting us our due plots of land per the contract we entered. We have expressed our disaffection in writing to the Office of the Special Adviser on Housing, who minuted our letter to the Bureau’s Legal Dept. We also visited the office, and our representative met with a lady who introduced herself as the Legal Officer. The lady was very receptive and helpful, and informed our Rep. that the matter does not fall within the purview of the office. She informed me that her involvement was merely for information ONLY. She however advised that we go see the Executive Secretary, Lands and/or Personal Secretary, Lands to convey our dissatisfaction in person.”

The hope of the group, they said, was diminished further when in response to the inquiry about their plots of land, the Lagos State Government (Lands Bureau) informed them that the Orisan scheme was being redesigned and remodelled, and that they would be informed of the outcome when completed, without as much as suggesting a timeline for when that would happen.

The LASG’s letter with reference number LU/OWF/RES/18/89, dated April 2, 2024, addressed to: “Oko Orisan Waterfront Scheme Subscribers Group, Attention Mrs. Akinloye states. Re: Demand for the Physical Allocation of Our Land Purchased from the Lagos State Government (LASG) in the Oko Orisan Waterfront Scheme”. In the letter signed by A. Odukogbe, for the Executive Secretary, Land Use and Allocation Committee, Governor’s Office, Lands Bureau., the LASG stated “we acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated 20th March 2024, in respect of the above subject matter and inform you that the state government has embarked on redesigning and remodelling of Orisan Waterfront Scheme. In view of this, none of the allottees can take physical possession or process their respective Certificate of Occupancy until the conclusion of the exercise. Please be assured that all allottees will be contacted as soon as the exercise is concluded.”

The group’s response of May 8th to the LASG letter expressing regret over the lack of specificity on timelines in the LASG letter, was yet to receive any response from the LASG as at the time of going to press.

The group uses this medium to invite other subscribers to the scheme, both in Nigeria and abroad, to contact the group to enable us leverage strength in numbers to persuade Gov. Sanwo-Olu to address this injustice being meted out to us by the LASG. 

The group can be reached via Email: landmatters.okoorisan@gmail.com and X (former Twitter): @landmataz.

Lagos to Display Badagry Master Plan 2022-2042 for Public Inspection 

Bennett Oghifo

The Lagos State Government will subject the draft report on the review of Badagry Master Plan(2022-2024) to public scrutiny, from Wednesday 19th June to Friday 26th July 2024.

The Permanent Secretary, Office of Physical Planning, Engr. Oluwole Sotire disclosed this in a statement issued at the weekend.

He said that the 28-day public inspection of the Draft Plan across various centres, mainly within the Badagry division of Lagos State, would allow stakeholders to review its proposals and make relevant comments to further enrich the Plan.

The Permanent Secretary stated that subjecting the draft report to public scrutiny was part of the acclaimed process of preparing an inclusive Plan, which is also in tandem with the State’s culture of Citizen’s participation in the preparation of Physical Development Plans.

The inspection venues, which are 13 in all, include the Local Government/Local Council Development Area Secretariats within the Badagry division of the State, local planning offices within the division, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Secretariat,  Alausa and the headquarters of the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) at GRA, Ikeja. 

“It is worthy of note that to ramp up public participation in the plan preparation process, the 28-Day public inspection of the Draft Report on the Review of Badagry Master Plan(2022-2042) will be followed by a final Stakeholders Meeting at 9am on Thursday 8th August, 2024 at LASU Main Auditorium, Ojo,” he added.

According to Sotire, the aim of the Master Plan, which is going through a review upon its expiration after being operative for 20 years, is to harness the special characteristics and environmental sustainability of the plan area to engender sustainable future growth and socio-economic development of Lagos State as the preferred investment destination in sub-Saharan Africa.