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Oyo State Government has announced that it will sell the 38 semi-detached units of bungalow situated at Carlton Gate Estate, Akobo, Ibadan to members of the public at affordable prices to fulfill part of Governor Seyi Makinde’s campaign promise of providing affordable housing for all and sundry in the state.
The Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Barr. Abiodun Abdu-Raheem disclosed this while on an inspection tour to various housing estates in the city.
Abdu-Raheem stated that a lot of people in the state are in need of affordable houses which he noted was available at Carlton Gate Estate.
His words:”In keeping faith with the electoral promises made by our governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde during campaigns on affordable housing, we are putting up 38 semi-detached units of bungalows that are at Carlton Gate Estate at Akobo in Ibadan for sale at cheap prices to the people.
“The target of this is to make our people house owners without much problems and this is just the beginning. The present administration will provide more affordable housing to the people and make acquisition of houses and landed properties easier and affordable for our people.”
He expressed his displeasure over many undeveloped plots of land in the places visited, lamenting that many choice lands were fenced without the owners developing them. He also lamented that most of the houses built did not follow the layout plan provided by the state government.
“I am not happy with the state of things after accessing everything. Lands that could be bought by people who are ready to build are wasting away without being utilised.
“We will do our best to remove every illegal structures on our lands. It was noticed that around March, at a particular period, a lot of allocations were carried out. I must say that the allocations are sub-listed for revocation and withdrawal.
“Whichever way, we can go about it, for those that have not paid, government will withdraw the allocation paper given to them. I assure everybody that we are here to do the job with fairness and we will be accountable in whatever we do,” Abdul-Raheem said.
He called on people whose building plans have not been approved, those that have letters of land allocated to them but do not have Certificate of Occupancy(C of O) and those that have obtained building plans but their applications were not completed to visit the ministry to complete their application within seven days from Monday or have their lands revoked.
“An ultimatum of a week is given to people who have not completed the application of their land documents as government will soon begin the revocation of lands that are not properly registered,” he stated.
Places visited include Kolapo Ishola Estate, Akobo; Carlton Gate Estate, Akobo; Quarter 105, Onikoko Avenue, Agodi GRA; Ajumose Housing Estate, Jericho; Elenushonsho Estate, Jericho; Queens School, Apata; Adeoyo GRA, Ring-road.