House of Assembly wades into Lagos government-owned estates’ dilapidation

Worried by the deplorable state of Lagos owned estates, the State House of Assembly has set up a seven-man committee to address the situation.

Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, said the committee headed by the Acting Chairman of the House Committee on Housing, Ibrahim Layode are to report back to the House in two weeks.

Members of the committee include Adefunmilayo Tejuosho, Idimogu Jude, Noheem Adams, Abiodun Tobun, Oladipupo Olorunrinu and Rasheed Makinde.

The committee was set up in reaction to a motion moved by the majority leader, Sanai Agunbiade, and other lawmakers.In the motion, Agunbiade called the attention of the lawmakers to the deplorable state of the estates spread across the state, stressing that most of them have become shadows of their old selves.

He added that many occupants have changed government plans for the estates.“The estates have become dilapidated as they lack maintenance, the premises are dirty, and people build all sorts of structures around the estate,” he said.

Supporting the motion, Yinka Ogundimu, stated that if the situation continues, the houses in the estates would keep collapsing.Also speaking, Adebisi Yusuff, said that most of the estates in his area are in a bad state, adding that some owners have even sold them, and are now living inside containers.

“There should be facility managers for the estates. For instance, Jakande Estate in Abesan should have a Police station, but the whole land have been occupied illegally,” he said.

Another lawmaker, Omotayo Oduntan noted that most of the estates have become over-populated over the years.But Makinde, stressed that the problem with the estate has to do with lack of lay out plans as evidenced with FESTAC 77 Estate in Amuwo Odofin, which he said, has become a den of armed robbers.

Other lawmakers including Olawale Olayiwola, Noheem Adams, Saka Solaja, corroborated some of these observations, but Dipo Olorunrinu denied the claim that hoodlums have taken over FESTAC 77 Estate.