Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been advised to leave a legacy of affordable houses like the legendary Lateef Jakande.
The late journalist, an Obafemi Awolowo disciple, governed the state from 1979 to 1983 and served as Works Minister under the Sani Abacha regime.
Fondly called LKJ or Baba Kekere, he implemented free education; increased the number of primary schools from 605 to 812; secondary schools from 105 to 223; constructed Gbagada, Ikorodu General Hospitals and 20 Health Centres.
Jakande further wrote his name in gold with the construction of more than 30,000 units in 16 Low-Cost Estates in different parts of Lagos.
Findings show the locations are in Abesan, Abule Nla, Amuwo-Odofin, Badagry, Dolphin, Ejigbo, Epe, Iba, Ijaiye, Ije, Iponri, Ipaja, Ikorodu, Isolo, Oke-Afa and Surulere.
After Jakande’s passing in February, Bola Tinubu, a former Lagos Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) leader declared that nobody could match his record.
Thousands of citizens benefitted from Jakande’s housing infrastructure which till date provides income for the owners and shelter for accommodation seekers.
But the Lagos Building Investment Corporation (LBIC) continues to shun the maintenance of the estates which provided succor to middle and low-income earners.
Instead, successive administrations build fancy estates sold/selling for tens of millions of Naira, rates way out of reach of struggling Nigerians.
It is no longer news that the houses are mostly purchased by government officials or their fronts, businessmen/women and firms who resell or lease for a period of time.
At the commissioning of 100 units at Ikate Elegushi on Wednesday, Sanwo-Olu said the project was part of measures to “increase access to the stock of available houses”.
The Bayview Estate, a joint venture between Lagos State Development and Property Corporation and Misa Limited, is situated behind Enyo Filling Station and beside Stillwaters Garden.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed that it consists 68 terraces of 4 bedrooms and 32 flats of 3 bedrooms on a total land area of 23,000sqm.
“We made a promise to partner with the private sector to deliver good houses to Lagos. Bayview Estate is a further demonstration of our consistency in keeping to our promises”, he said.
Reacting to the governor’s Facebook post, citizens accused the Lagos authorities of building houses only wealthy people can afford.
Adewale Omotosho: “(The government) collect tax from the poor and build for the rich. Well done all of una!”
“God bless you sir for this affordable housing. N50m/flat. It is not too bad especially now that things have gone up”, Engr UC wrote sarcastically.
Obuh Nelson: “The elites will buy some of these structures and resell to commoners who even make an attempt to buy. When you wish to do the next one Mr Governor, let it be affordable to minimum wage earners. Then we will know you have delivered dividends of democracy like Alhaji Jakande did.”
Richard Alaribe: “Houses within and around that area is not affordable and it’s not for the masses. How could you build such houses and say you are providing affordable houses to the masses?”
Jide Mackson: “You remind us of Jakande’s sterling qualities. But, these houses are for the elites and those political class. The middle class does not have access to them.”
Adesuwa Favour: “Is it affordable to low income earners? It’s well.”
Ikay Fezzas: “The amount involved has made the houses impossible to be affordable by the low-income earners. Which promise has been fulfilled, when the middle class cannot afford it? Was the promise made to the electorates or the elites? Needless of making the commissioning public when the elites will still have it, while the electorates remain in their impoverished condition.”
Kazeem Ijaola: “Only for the rich because a civil servant earning minimum wage will never be able to afford this.”
Temitayo Badmus: “Houses you’re talking about are too high for civil servants or small shop businesses in Lagos. You’re yet to build houses for the low-income like 70,000 per month. Think about those people and stop thinking about contractors.”
Sunday Benedict: “Only for the rich people. Especially politician. When we say that we want to make things affordable, it should be in such a way that low income earners can partake.”
Seyi Ogunronbi: “They are renting the 4-bedroom in this Estate (for) N5m. How does that make it affordable housing? The people that subscribe to it are not common people.”
Ono Eme: “Can you make it affordable for a civil servant to purchase it as mortgage, not commissioning it for the rich men.”
Nwudu Austin: “Houses that government officials will buy up by themselves and be selling to the public in exorbitant prices. Same happened at Fashola estate, Igando.”
Babalola Imoleaye: “Someone said in the comment that each apartment goes for 50 million Naira. People living at Ajegunle, Iyana Ipaja, Ikorodu, Epe and Ilaje, who are bricklayers, electricians, welders, carpenters and teachers can now afford these affordables. When we’re through deceiving ourselves in this country, we will sit and have a rethink.”
Imoleaye advised politicians to “remember that no matter how long it takes, we will each stand before GOD to give account of how we lived on earth!”
Elegushi of Ikate Kingdom, Oba Saheed Elegushi; Oniru of Iruland, Oba Gbolahan Lawal, among other dignitaries attended the Bayview Estate opening.
In May 2020, Sanwo-Olu commissioned Courtland Luxury Villas, another pricey estate also in Elegushi.
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