Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Friday, issued 5,000 Certificates of Occupancy to land owners across the 20 local government areas of the state.
The beneficiaries are applicants from the Ogun State Land Administration and Revenue Management System and the immediate past administration’s Home Owners Charter programme.
Abiodun handed over the ceftificates to the beneficiaries, who included: the Olu of Itori, Abdulfatai Akanmo, Commissioner for Housing, Jagunmolu Omoniyi; an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Olukayode Ayilara, and the State Secretary, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Tiwalade Akingbade.
Addressing the beneficiaries at the ceremony held at the Obas complex, Governor’s Office secretariat, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the state capital, Abiodun said his administration created OLARMS under the Bureau of Lands and Survey to eliminate the bottleneck in land administration and promote the ease of doing business.
The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, said the programme was aimed at sanitising land administration which he said had been characterised by fraudulent activities.
He urged residents of the state to take advantage of the programme to regularise their landed properties which according to him, would enhance the values of their properties, as they can be used as collaterals.
Abiodun said the programme would transform land business as it enables land and house owners to get their C of O’s within 30 days of putting in their applications.
“Today, I’m seeing so many people here who are here to collect their C of O’s. During this period, we are giving out 5,000 C of O’s.
“The first 5,000 certificates of occupancy are on various lands. Whether you are on the Homeowners’ Charter or you are under PRP, there is no discrimination,” he said.
The governor added, “Our lands department has been completely transformed. We decided that we were going to take an aggressive disposition at land administration.
“We want to make Ogun State the investor hub for Nigeria and this today marks a turning point, now the whole country knows that the business of land in Ogun State has been completely transformed.”
Earlier in his address, the Director-General, Bureau of Lands and Survey, Segun Fowora, said the bureau was working towards doubling the number of beneficiaries by next year.
He said that the OLARMS programme provides numerous opportunities for land and house owners to obtain their land titles “to breathe life into dead assets, which does not serve any economic purpose.”
“Some of these opportunities include, but are not limited to a guarantee of farmer identification and proof of ownership rights over a piece of land, which ensures security of tenure and facilitate subsequent transactions on land security of tenure and protection. against adverse claimants and trespass,” Fowora said.
