By Adeyemi O. Adeleye
Lagos – The Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday summoned some top officials of the State Lands Bureau to appear before it on Nov. 14, frowning at their disregard of an earlier invitation.
The summoned officials include the Permanent Secretary, Mr Shuaheeb Agoro and the Executive Secretary, Mr Olukayode Ogunnubi.
Presenting a report at plenary, Mr Olusola Sokunle, Chairman, House Committee on Special and Inter-governmental Relations, had told his colleagues that the affected officials shunned the team’s invitation.
He said they were invited on several occasions to brief the committee on a petition by Iju Youth Action Committee over a disputed land earmarked by the government for a post office and fire service station.
According to him, the officials did not honour any of the invitations of the committee, thwarting its effort to unravel some things.
He said that investigation revealed that there were some structures such as a filling station, churches and residential buildings, among others, on the land.
Other lawmakers, who took turns to condemn the action of the officials, noted that it had become habitual for the Ministry, Department and Agency on Lands to disregard invitations by the House.
They also blamed the Ministry of Physical Planning and the Lagos State Building Control Agency for not being effective in the execution of their mandate.
Mr Raseed Makinde (APC-Ifako/Ijaiye II), urged the government to erect signposts on all acquired land, and sanction tresspassers.
The Majority Leader, Mr Sanai Agunbiade, called on the Lands Bureau to take necessary steps to ensure that the land is used for the purpose it was meant for.
The Speaker, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, stepped down the recommendations of the committee for proper fine-tuning.
He directed the Acting Clerk of the House, Mr Sanni Azeez, to invite the affected officials to appear before the House of Monday.
The Assembly adjourned its plenary session till Nov. 10.
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