The Ekiti Government will recover N1 billion debt owed by some of the beneficiaries of the state housing estates.
Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti made this known while receiving the report of the Judicial Panel of inquiry on land and related matters in the state.
The governor said the money will be recovered before the end of his second term in October 2022.
”We will reverse the impunity that has characterised land administration in the State.
”We are disturbed by the level of corruption, poor record keeping and lack of transparency that characterised the allocation of lands in the state,” he said.
Fayemi directed the immediate constitution of a ministerial committee to advise the government on how to reform the government apparatus in charge of land administration.
”We are committed to eradicating unlawful land transactions to enhance the government’s efforts in achieving poverty reduction and promoting economic growth,” he said.
Fayemi disclosed that the government had been informed of the existence of vast undeveloped plots of land and lack of record of ownership or evidence of payment for some properties in the state housing estates.
He ordered the committee on recovery of money owed to the state government to present a formal report to enable the government to take necessary action.
” As a first step, I accept the recommendation of the Commission of Inquiry for a holistic reform of all the agencies responsible for land administration in this state.
” I have directed the Secretary to the State Government to immediately constitute a ministerial committee with a mandate to advise the government on practical steps towards achieving this goal.
” Let me also use this opportunity to formally acknowledge the work of the Committee on the recovery of monies owed the state government on the sale of landed properties in government housing estates.
“It is simply unacceptable that a sum of over N1 billion will be owed to the government by beneficiaries of these properties, majority of them simply refused to pay up.
” The committee has been directed to ensure full recovery of all monies owed government”, he said.
NAN reports that the Chairman of the commission, Justice Adekunle Adeleye, in his remark revealed that a total 43 petitions were received in the course of the commission’s assignment.
Adeleye said that the commission, through the adoption of an alternative dispute resolution mechanism, was able to determine the final right of the parties in 20 cases.
He said that members of the commission also made on the spot assessment visits to various locations to ascertain the veracity of the oral evidence led at the public sitting of the commission.