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Agriculture: LASG pays N38m compensation to 16 land owning families

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4 years ago

May 8, 2021

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The Lagos State Government has paid a sum of N38m as Crop Compensation to 16 traditional land owning Families of Igbodu,Epe, the said land was acquired by the state government for agricultural activities.

The Commissioner of Agriculture, Ms Abisola Olusanya, made this known during the presentation of cheques to the beneficiaries at the Cooperative College Hall, within the Agricultural Land Holding Authority’s (ALHA) office Oko-Oba, Agege Lagos on Friday.

The Commissioner noted that the state government had acquired about 500 hectares of lands since 1985 for Agriculture purposes in Molajoye, Aleke and Igbodu areas of Epe.

A number of the land owning families at the event are;Eredo,Oponla Yeleru,Ojamo,Ilewu Ale,Oreta,Sharoye,Isiba Kaiye,Koleledoye amongst others.

Olusanya noted that the state government had paid about N40 million so far as compensations to the 16 families whose lands were donated and acquired for the state’s agricultural activities.

She noted that the criteria for compensation is tied to the proportion or hectares of lands owned by each families.

“The programme is part of our strategies along with the five points agenda that was launched recently towards acquiring land for agricultural estate which will bring development to the areas.

“Negotiation with the families is not about the monetary asepct alone because what we are doing by acquiring the land for agricultural purposes is one of the ways of bringing jobs to that area.

“It is also part of our strategies along with the five points agenda that was launched recently towards acquiring land for agricultural estate development to the areas.

“We will be bringing private investors to the place and obviously whatever businesses that will be set up in that location place will require labour and certain resources that these same resident that will provide them.

“Therefore, the programme initiate by the state government is not about the compensation alone but it is about the development that will take place in those areas,” she said.

The commissioner commended the land owning families for joining forces with the state government to change the face of its agricultural development in the state.

According to her, we appreciate the families that have allowed us to take ownership of their lands for the state development in line with our five points agenda to revitalise food production in the state.

The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Hakeem Adeniji, thanked the families whose lands were donated and acquired by the state government for the agricultural sector in the state.

Adeniji explained that 16 families had been presented cheques which was the fulfilment of the promise of the state government to the land owners.

Speaking on behalf of the 16 families, Mr David Ogungbesan of the Oshinuga Lagooku family which has over 160 hectares of the land and got over N11m as compensation, thanked the state government for keeping to their promise of compensating the land owning families.

Oladapo Mohammed Aare GM (ALHA) however,asked any of the families with further questions to contact his office later.

Officiating the presentation of cheques the Head Operation (ALHA), Engineer Omolade Balogun notes that the heads of the families and a representative are the ones permitted to sign for the cheques received and other documents.

The Ejirin Monarch (Elejirin) Oba

Rafiu Babatunde Ishola, who graced the occasion appreciated the families and government for the mutual understanding exhibited thus far.

“After series of meetings we were contacted for the payment of compensation through my

Baale from Igbodu.

“I urge our people not to stall development but support it whole heartedly.

After whole the process, the family heads were called to append their signatures on the document officially affirming the release of the landed property for agricultural use.