Lagos makes N 11 billion from land charges

Permanent Secretary, Lands Bureau,Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola, has announced a revenue of over N11 billion for the year.

He said the revenue performance, however, represents a shortfall compared to last years.

He said the Bureau is not deterred by the drop in revenue but is geared to improve its revenue performance through some new land scheme and other revenue-enhancing programmes that will come on stream.

He said the state government has embarked on property valuation and revaluation  to boost revenue collection, which will facilitate population and housing census, planning of urban and rural settlements, transportation system, flood and erosion control, mineral development including bitumen and petroleum.

Commending the state Land Registry, he said it ranks as not only the most developed in the country but also in West Africa.

He warned land speculators and those who encroach on government’s property and indirectly prevent allottees of government land from taking physical possession of their plots of land to desist from doing so. He said: “The state government wishes to state unequivocally that all illegal structures and shanties constructed on state lands by individuals, companies or institutions without valid titles and approved development permits will be demolished by the appropriate government agencies in line with applicable statutory provisions.”