- Says second phase of initiative, to involve private sector builders, would increase monthly allocations
Lagos State Governor, Mr.
Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Tuesday flagged off the first draw of the Lagos Home
Ownership Mortgage Scheme (Lagos H.O.M.S.) with an appeal to emerging the home
owners under the Scheme to endeavour to meet all obligations that come with the
ownership.
The colourful ceremony,
which drew a large audience of prominent Lagosians including the former
Governors of the State, Brigadier-General Mobolaji Johnson (rtd) and Alhaji
Lateef Jakande, was performed at the LTV Blue Roof Hall where elated winners of
the homes were presented with certificates of ownership prior to the handing
over of the home keys to them.
In his remarks just before
the draws began, Governor Fashola emphasized the need for prospective home
owners under the scheme to pay their monthly mortgage regularly pointing out
that it would ensure that money would always be available to build more houses
and give other taxpaying Lagosians the opportunity to also benefit from the
scheme.
He told the prospective home owners, “I want
to make, perhaps, the most important appeal that the right to own a home also
brings with it responsibilities. One of the important responsibilities that
successful home owners will have is the responsibility to pay the monthly
mortgages; that is their commitment and their responsibility”.
“By so doing, you will bring
back a pool of money into the system that allows us and enables us to build for
other people who have also paid taxes and who are waiting on the queue”, the
Governor said adding that if all mortgage owners who benefit from the scheme
pay up their mortgages promptly, in seven years time the scheme would become
self-sustaining.
According to the Governor,
“In that case the Lagos State Government will no longer need to put any more
money into this scheme because of the money that will be coming out. So that is
the biggest responsibility that home owners have”.
Other ancillary
responsibilities which the owners have, the Governor said, include “the responsibility
to pay rates and charges that come with the privilege and the right to own a
home, such as maintenance charges”, pointing out that the scheme would not
allow a situation where after houses have been sold to the people, Government
would still bear maintenance responsibilities.
“If you see many of the
homes built by Alhaji Lateef Jakande over the last few years’ government still
has the responsibility to go and clean, to go and paint, to go and maintain
homes that it has sold. This will not be allowed under this scheme. Home owners
must take responsibility for their homes and pay maintenance charges”, he said.
The Governor said such
self-maintenance would provide jobs for estate management firms and other small
companies providing services such as installation and repair of electrical and
other household appliances, clearing of drains and other responsibilities that
would provide jobs for unemployed people.
“So we have no reason why engineers, estate
surveyors, civil and electrical engineers will not have jobs in small
companies; because electrical appliances will need to be changed and repaired,
drains will need to be cleared and so on; and this is the way by which we can
all support ourselves.
“This is the critical value
chain benefit of this housing scheme”, he said adding, “Of course, there are
other obligations which I believe our mortgage counselors must have gotten you
through. As long as you keep those obligations I am positive that all will be
well”.
On the second phase of the
Lagos HOMS initiative, Fashola said the Committee was already working out the
modalities that would allow Private Sector builders to participate in the
scheme explaining that Government would be the guarantee purchaser of the homes
built by them for sale to the public under the scheme.
“By so doing, we will be in
the position to either double or triple the number of homes from 200 to 600 or
800 per month if we allow private sector to build. We will buy from them and
put into the mortgage pool and distribute out”, the Governor said.
Recalling that while inaugurating
the Scheme last month he said the aim was to move Lagosians “from desperation
for Housing to an orderly and predictable lifestyle”, the Governor declared, “That
is our dream and I believe that when people can dream things, their hands can
do it. Our journey really begins today and there is not much to say anymore
than to see Lagosians begin to put their steps on that ladder, the ladder of
prosperity that we have designed for them”.
On whether or not the Lagos
HOMS initiative will continue after he has left governance of the State,
Fashola explained, “The institution is emerging, people have taken control. I
have walked here this morning to come and see what is happening and I am
pleased with what I see and I am proud of what our team is doing”.
“Of course, most
importantly, transparency has been demonstrated so far and would be
demonstrated throughout these proceedings; because, as I said when I
inaugurated this scheme, a lot of people said we have sold the houses to
ourselves, but the real home owners will emerge in a transparent process before
you today”, he said.
The draw, which was supervised by the
officials of the Lagos Mortgage Board, including the Executive Secretary, Mr.
Akinola Kodjo Sagoe, produced a total of 31 winners in the three categories of One,
Two and Three bedroom homes spread across the five estates that were up for
sale including Sir, Michael Otedola Estate, Odogunyan in Ikorodu, CHOIS Estate,
Abijo, Lekki, Shitta Scheme 1 and 2, Surulere, Alhaja Adetoun Mustapha and Hon.
Olaitan Mustapha Estates, Ojokoro and Oba Lateef Adams Estate Iloro, Agege.
In his remarks earlier, the
Executive Secretary of the Lagos Mortgage Board, Mr. Akinola Kodjo Sagoe,
explained that a total of 200 houses were available for the draw pointing out,
however, that out of the 322 applicants in the different categories, only 98
met the requirements and cut off date for submission of forms for the first
draw.
According to him the
remaining 169 houses from the first draw would be rolled over to the next draw
for next month where both those who could not win this month and those who did
not meet the requirement for the first draw will have another opportunity
without having to apply again.
From Tuesday’s draw, six
persons won one 3-bedroom flat each while another six won one 2-bedroom flats
each and two persons won one 1-bedroom flats each in Shitta Scheme in Surulere,
four persons won one 3-bedroom flats each
in Hon Olaitan Mustapha Estate, Ijaiye, Ojokoro, ten persons won one 3-bedroom
flats each in Oba Lateef Adams Estate, Iloro, Agege, two people won 3-bedroom
flats each in CHOIS Gardens, Abijo,
while one person won a 3 bedroom flat in Alhaja Adetoun Mustapha Estate Ijaiye,
Ojokoro.
Highlight of the
well-attended event was the picking of winners from the transparent drums which
was done by some prominent personalities including First Lady, Dame Emmanuella
Abimbola Fashola, Brigadier-General Mobolaji Johnson, Alhaji Lateef Jakande,
former Deputy Governor, Abiodun Ogunleye who represented Asiwaju Bola Ahmed
Tinubu and House of Representative member representing Ikorodu Federal
Constituency, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
Also present to witness the
epoch-making occasion were First Lady of Lagos State, Dame Emmanuella Fashola,
members of the State Executive Council including Secretary to the State
Government, Dr. Oluranti Adebule, Commissioner for Information and Strategy,
Mr. Lateef Ibirogba and his Commerce and Industry, Economic Planning and Budget,
Housing and Finance counterparts, Mrs. Olusola Oworu, Mr. Ben Akabueze, Mr.
Bosun Jeje and Mr. Ayo Gbeleyi respectively, former Attorney General and
Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Supo Shasore (SAN), Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas,
Prince Abiodun Ogunleye who represented
former Governor of the State, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, participants in
the Scheme, traditional rulers, captains of industry, Party and community
leaders and other stakeholders in Housing industry.
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