₦airaland Forum

No fewer than 60 residents of Lagos State, who are winners in the state’s Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme, aka Lagos HOMS, have lamented that they have yet to take possession of the apartments allotted to them more than 10 months after paying.

They said they were under pressure from their landlords to leave the flats they were presently staying. They explained that since they thought that they would move into their new apartments after winning the draw last year, they had made known their intention to leave.

The winners, who belonged to the Mushin scheme, said despite paying millions of naira into government coffers for the required 30 per cent commitment fee, the state had yet to complete the project.

The residents, who declined to give their full names so as not to be victimised, appealed to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to “intervene urgently”.

One of them, Akin, told our correspondent that he won a three-bedroom flat in the September 2014 draw, and paid N5.2m.

He said, “I was asked to pay 30 per cent of the total money within 14 working days. I paid N5.2m, which was the commitment fee.

“The timetable they gave us showed that I was supposed to move in around December. But they later said it was not feasible, pleading that I should give them more time.

“I am in a fix now because nobody is communicating with me. I have been served a notice to quit by my landlord because I told him I had got a new place and would be moving out last year.”

Another beneficiary, Ladi, said he paid for the scheme with all his life savings.

He said relatives and neighbours whom he told that he had become a landlord now made mockery of him.

Ladi, a civil servant, said, “As we speak now, the place is not habitable. There is no water or electricity and the few people on the site said the government was starving the contractors of funds. I gave my life savings to this project and the painful thing is that I have nothing to show for it.”

PUNCH Metro learnt that the management of the Lagos HOMS, during a meeting with the beneficiaries, apologised for the delay and promised to meet with Ambode.

Fisayo, who won a two bedroom flat, told our correspondent it was agreed that they would get a feedback two weeks later, but the representatives failed to do so.

He said, “We wanted to be part of the delegation to the governor, but they said it was not necessary. They said they would get back to us in two weeks, but three weeks later, there was no communication. After we sent many messages to their email address, they finally replied us that our grievances had been forwarded to the appropriate channels.”

A copy of the reply from the reprsentatives, which was obtained by our correspondent, urged the winners to be patient with the management of the scheme.

It read in part, “We have put together all the issues with the various schemes and forwarded them to the various authorities. We have been informed that these issues are being looked into in order to provide the best solution. Please continue to bear with us.”

Another winner, Odunlade, said transparency was lacking in the scheme.

“I have been served a notice to quit by my landlord, but I have nowhere to go. I have been left in the dark. I paid N5m and I have been left stranded,” he added.

A civil servant, Modupe, told PUNCH Metro that her landlord had already put up her apartment for rent.

“ My landlord has put up my apartment for rent and people have been coming in and out,” she said.

She appealed to Ambode to look into the matter, adding that she believed that the governor did not know about their plight.

Another beneficiary, Chidi, said, “They should tell us when they will complete the place. And they should give us value for our money. A three-bedroom flat is N17.2m. At 19 per cent interest rate, that makes it N25m in the long run.”

PUNCH Metro was told that winners in the Igando and Sangotedo schemes were also affected.

Our correspondent, who visited the site on Monday, observed that the five blocks of flats, which were awarded to four contractors, had already been painted.

The project, which is under the New Towns Development Authority, was supposed to be completed within 52 weeks.

When our correspondent opened the gate, the site was overgrown with weed. A few minutes later, three men entered with a sack.

When asked about the state of the project, one of them, said, “I don’t know why the people have not moved in. The buildings have been painted. I am not a government official and cannot tell what the problem is.”

An employee of Fadepo Nigeria Limited, who spoke with our correspondent on the telephone, urged the winners to be patient.

The man, who did not mention his name, said, “We are trying to round off. I cannot give a specific time. It remains just the fittings.”

A representative of Lagos HOMS, who did not identify herself, told PUNCH Metro that the management of the scheme was awaiting the delivery of the keys from the contractors.

She said, “The place is still under construction and the home builders have yet to hand over the keys to us. Once they do that, we will contact the winners and give them their apartments.

“Our directors had a meeting with the governor. Whenever they have a positive response, it will be related to the winners. They should be patient.”

Wat is d last price pls.

Adenike Ogungbe was a renowned
make-up artist and founder and
CEO of Ewar Makeovers based in
Lagos. She died of complications
following childbirth on the 3rd of
July, in Sagamu, Ogun State and
was laid to rest in her husband's
family church burial ground in Ago-
Iwoye, Ogun State on Saturday, 6th
of July, 2013.
Exactly two months after her death,
her friends, who have been
investigating her death, have written
an open letter to her in laws,
accusing them of negligence that led
to Nike's death.

The letter below...

It's no news to every born
Nigeria; home & abroad the
standard processes involved in
a marriage. Where there are
cultural standards, there are
also religious standards. In
most parts of the world, either
culturally or by virtue of religion
when a woman marries a man
she automatically adopts her
husband's family name. In
exceptional cases, the couple
may decide otherwise. The
Ogungbe family, without doubt
are Yorubas and they have
proclaimed long enough to be
Christians. Unfortunately, the
recent events following their
actions and contributions to
Adenike Ogungbe's death has
proven this bunch otherwise.
In the course of our
investigation, some people
actually questioned and
wondered if Adenike ordinarily
moved in with Abidemi without
formal/religious ceremony.
Adenike got married to Abidemi
legally and traditionally. Some
of us were there to grace the
occasion. Adenike was a legal,
faithful, dedicated and
committed wife to the Ogungbe
family. In Yoruba culture,
during the traditional wedding
ceremony, the bride is made to
sit on the laps of her newly
acquired parents. This is only to
confer their acceptance of the
child as their own and welcome
her into the family.
Unfortunately, the Ogungbe
family failed Adenike in this
regard.
She was denied of adequate
medical needs by being taken
to a quack doctor in an occultic
hospital in Sagamu, Ogun State.
Today, 3rd of September 2013
marks the 2nd month
anniversary of Adenike's depart
and sadly up until this very
moment NOT ONE single
member of the entire Ogungbe
family have gone to pay respect
to the Kareems' family
(Adenike's biological parents)
neither have they been allowed
to see the child Adenike left
behind. Worst still not even
Adenike's estranged husband
Bidemi has gone to see his in-
laws! What a shame!
They have lost a child, a
successful, young, vibrant
woman for that matter. How
evil could the Ogungbe's be?
We believe there is no adult or
elderly person or anyone with
wisdom or human conscience
left in the ogungbe family, that
is why we decided to write an
open letter to the OGUNGBE
FAMILY OF AGO - IWOYE and let
them know that they're a big
shame and disgrace to the
entire Yoruba culture, Christian
world and human race. Shame
on them!

It's only human to pay honour
to whom honour it is due.
Adenike might have died as Mrs
Ogungbe, it does not change
the fact that she has parents
and siblings who deserve to be
honoured having given their
daughter away in trust to this
evil family that not only
controlled, manipulated and
purposely led her to her death.


Friends of Ewar

[quote author=Samoo01]For "Pastor" Adeboye, Christmas arrives early.


Imagine if all the money that has been given to that man was deposited in a trust fund, and judiciously used, for the betterment of Nigerians, the country will be shinning like, Houston, at least.

But I'm happy someone is duping them sha, because, albeit they sell themselves as Christians, they will never help their families.[/quote

I pity u serzly.......

My Number One Celebrity are my Dad
and Mum , 28yrs of Marriage and still
counting . May God Bless and Keep
you for me and my siblings. Love you
both

bin gbagbo: [size=58pt]dettol broke my marriage [/size]

hw?

acume: Can anybody recommend any other good disinfectants apart from dettol?

Roberts