The Lagos State Government yesterday disclosed that no fewer than 145 subscribers have been refunded their full deposit for various categories of homes at the Egan-Igando Mixed Housing Estate following their indication of a lack of further interest in the Housing Scheme.
This was disclosed by the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Housing, Gbolahan Toriola while fielding questions on the allocation of the newly commissioned 270 Home units (Cluster 1) of the Egan Housing Scheme.
In a statement by the Chief Public Affairs Officer of the ministry, Mr Rufai Adesile, the Permanent Secretary pointed out that the delivery of the housing estate was cumbered by various factors ranging from administrative issues to large-scale vandalisation by hoodlums.
While lauding the patience and understanding of the early subscribers of the estate who waited for the estate to be completed, Toriola said, “The state government has since refunded 145 former subscribers who applied for repayment with genuine evidence of payment since the administration of former governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, till date.”
The Permanent Secretary also appealed to subscribers who had applied for a refund but have not been paid to approach the Ministry of Housing with original documents while subscribers with claims of loss of original receipt or document should provide police report and declaration of loss of document or receipt.
Toriola said that as of today 145 former subscribers with genuine evidence of payment had been refunded saying that “those with no evidence of payments or with questionable documentation are still being investigated.”
The Permanent Secretary recalled that the Governor of the State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu insisted on protecting the interest of the old subscribers who have paid the full sum of the purchase price.
To this end, such subscribers were to be immediately handed their home keys while those who paid more than 50 per cent of the initial selling price shall be considered with an option to balance up at the current selling price or apply for a refund.
He further said that this was also in acknowledgment of the commitment made by the subscribers and confidence exhibited over the years while disclosing that over 70 per cent of the early subscribers did not make payments beyond the initial 10 per cent deposits made to Lagos Building Investment Company (LBIC).
