CENTTRE OF EXCELLENCE IS SORELY DENTED:
How
Immediate Past Administration Duped Hundreds Of Subscribers Short-Changed in
Lagos Jubilee Housing Scheme
Much has been said extolling Babatunde Fashola’s tenure as
governor of Lagos State; which, no doubt, informed his 3-barrelled appointment
into the Federal Cabinet. While one cannot fault his credential as a legal
luminary, I believe his background was not sufficiently scrutinised when he was
considered for the Housing portfolio. I believe that what Nigerians need now is
an innovator – not an elitist politician – at the helms at the Federal Ministry
of Housing. And from his antecedent in housing matters in Lagos, where he held
sway for eight years, Fashola is not an innovator, at least, not in this
sector. One example clearly shows this.
In 2007 Bola Tinubu, Fashola’s predecessor as governor,
initiated the Lagos Jubilee Housing Scheme, which was acclaimed for its
realistic pricing of houses the state government intended to build; and hailed
for the terms of payment to subscribers. The houses were in three categories:
2-bedroom apartments at N2.5 million each; bigger 2-bedroom apartments at N3.5
million each; and 3-bedroom apartments at N5 million each. The government even
offered to broker a mortgage arrangement, whereby subscribers could, after
paying a substantial deposit, spread the remainder over periods ranging from
five to 10 years. Evidently the costs were not cheap nine years ago, but were
deemed realistic.
The scheme progressed smoothly – houses were being built at
Egan/Igando and other locations, while the eager subscribers were dutiful in
the remittance of their monthly dues. That continued even after the mantle of
leadership passed from Tinubu to Fashola. Some subscribers had even paid in
full for their specified houses, awaiting the state government to make the allotment to them. But in 2010, the
programme stalled. The worried subscribers complained but Fashola’s explanation
for the delay was that he had ordered the builders to improve on the quality of
the buildings. Meanwhile, hundreds of subscribers, who had paid money ranging
from N1 million to N5 million, trusting Fashola, expected to get delivery of
the houses. The wait was to linger for three more years; till mid-2013. What
they got however, was a shocker: the scheme had been scrapped and the money
already paid would be refunded to subscribers who could produce receipts to
validate their payments. But worse was still to come.
After a series of receipt-verification exercises, held at
venues where hundreds of subscribers were treated shabbily by snotty government
staff and had to waste the entire day on such dates, another wait was ordered.
Meanwhile, Fashola was busy launching his elitist Home Ownership Scheme (HOMS),
where houses were priced at N8.5 million. This was without settling the
lingering problem of those who had yet to be repaid the money deposited for the
Jubilee Scheme.
Suffice
it to say that till date, many are yet to be refunded. And the Lagos Building
Investment Corporation (LBIC), which was charged with overseeing the project,
was scrapped by Fashola before leaving office. The Lagos State Ministry of
Housing, apparently cannot be absolved of complicity in a grand plan to
short-change the subscribers. According to an aggrieved subscriber who is yet
to be refunded, the Ministry officials demanded him, and others who did not
have the connections in high places to have been paid, to submit the receipts
so that payment vouchers could be drawn for them. That was over three months
ago, yet there is no hint that effort is being made to repay them.
What is most saddening, one of the ‘duped’ subscribers who is
still being owed over N1 million lamented, is that even the Ministry officials
mock them for falling victim of Fashola’s plot to discredit Tinubu’s good
intentions. Could Fashola have been so vindictive to have punished hundreds
just to spite his predecessor in office. It is hard to rationalise, but having
waited in vain for six after the scheme was scrapped, it is seeming to hold
some truth.
One of the subscribers, when questioned, said it is trite to
say the credibility and honour of the Centre of Excellence is sorely dented by
the duplicity employed by the immediate past administration, and called on
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to restore its integrity by investigating the matter
and promptly refunding the money paid to the Lagos Building Investment
Corporation (LBIC). After all, he noted, if the money had been deposited in a
bank it would have attracted a handsome interest.
Over to you, Ambode.
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