Lagos urges residents to maintain, take ownership of housing estates

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The Lagos State Government has called on residents of its housing estates to take greater responsibility for maintenance of their neighbourhoods to preserve infrastructure.

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The government said that taking such a responsibility would also enhance security and sustain property value.

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The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Housing, Mr Abdulhafis Toriola, made the call during the ministry’s monthly stakeholders’ engagement with residents of government-owned housing estates.

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The event was hosted by Millennium Housing Estate, Agbado-Ijaiye, Ojokoro, on Saturday.

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Toriola said the forum was designed to strengthen collaboration between the government and the residents, while providing a platform to identify challenges and receive feedback for improved estate management.

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“Wherever you live, you need to be proactive and take ownership so that the estate retains its value.

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“When you notice something that needs attention, fix what you can.

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“Where government intervention is required, we will come in and assist. You do not have to wait for government to fix everything,” he said.

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The permanent secretary commended the residents for maintaining their estates, and urged them to comply with the terms and conditions of their property allocation.

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He stressed the importance of paying insurance premiums, describing insurance as a critical safeguard for residents and government assets.

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Toriola also urged the residents to comply with regulations on land use charges and other statutory obligations, saying that defaulters would be dealt with in accordance with the law.

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According to him, the ministry has continued to organise stakeholders’ engagements to obtain residents’ feedbacks.

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He said that such feedbacks had informed improvement works in government housing estates.

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On ageing estates, Toriola said the government had commenced urban renewal initiatives, including redevelopment of the old Jakande Estate in Lekki, after integrity assessment.

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Earlier, the Director of Estate Department in the ministry, Mrs Olukemi Fosude, said the engagement was aimed at sensitising the residents on government housing policies.

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Fosude said that the engagement was also aimed at identifying challenges and strengthening collaboration for effective estate management.

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She said the ministry remained committed to maintaining estate infrastructure, coordinating facility management, ensuring regulatory compliance, managing service charges and promoting sustainable communities.

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Fosude announced that the ministry had introduced a standardised demand notice and unique payment code for every allottee to improve transparency, accountability and prompt reconciliation of service charge payments.

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She reminded residents of their obligations, including prompt payment of service charges and insurance premiums.

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She warned against unauthorised structures, illegal commercial activities, indiscriminate refuse disposal and other violations of estate regulations.

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She urged the residents to participate in the state’s re-introduced monthly environmental sanitation to promote hygiene, prevent flooding and preserve property values.

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On behalf of the residents, the Vice-Chairman of the Millennium Housing Estate, Agbado-Ijaiye, Mr Chris Otabo, commended the ministry for improving security through the construction of perimeter fencing.

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Otabo also thanked the ministry for beautification of the estate.

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He, however, appealed to the government to provide improved drainage channels, repair deteriorating roads and install additional streetlights to further enhance safety.

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The Chairman of Millennium Housing Estate, Okoba, Mr Jamil Onosoya, praised the ministry for rehabilitating residential blocks and upgrading infrastructure across government housing estates.

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He, however, appealed for completion of an abandoned water project on the estate and provision of additional recreational facilities and smart security infrastructure.

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Officials of the Lagos Waste Management Authority, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos State Safety Commission, and Lagos State Health Management Agency were at the event.

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Officials of Lagos State Mortgage Board, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency also attended the event.

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They educated the residents on waste management, fire safety, insurance, security and environmental sustainability.

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