Amosun Commences Distribution of C of O to Property Owners in Ogun

Posted by African Examiner News, News From The State Thursday, March 27th, 2014

Oyewale Oyelola

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State has started the distribution of Certificate of Occupancy to those who applied during the Ogun Home owner’s programme.

Ogun State governor Senator Ibikunle Amosun

Governor Amosun while addressing cross section of Home owners in Government House, Abeokuta said the scheme was introduced to allow home owner to regulaize their home with Ogun state government.

The governor said:” The Home Owner charter aimed at ensuring that all home owner across state regularize and document their properties. Now it is illegal for any home owner without proper documentation. We introduced the charter to ensure Ogun state home owners secure their property. Enterpreneur among you can also use it to access loans in banks.

“Now anybody that does not document their property will face the penalty. Although, they will still be able to document their property but there will be no discount as such people will pay appropriate charges, the way it is done throughout the world.”

Amosun stated that the new charter became necessary as investigations revealed that majority of property owners that developed their building from 2005 till date failed to document and get approval from Ministry of Lands and Physical planning as required by law.

Ogun State Homeowners’ Charter Programme allows homeowners to obtain government’s land titles, regularize and document their properties.

African Examiner finding shows that owners of eligible properties built without the required approvals, or houses that are built illegally on land belonging to Ogun State will be given a window of opportunity to obtain building plan approval, Certificates of Occupancy and other documents that will clearly establish their ownership to the properties.

With the charter, all penalties and fines that are normally levied against those who build houses without approvals and without Certificates of Occupancy will be waived. The documentation requirements have also been relaxed, and the fees discounted so that many residents, especially those who would otherwise not be able to afford it, can benefit from the programme.

Special Assistant on Media to the governor, Soyombo Opeyemi disclosed home owners paid an initial deposit of N5, 000, and each property owner will have to submit documents that can be used to establish their ownership of the property. These would include land purchase agreements, deed of gift or sublease, receipts, and survey plan, adding that “It is quite evident that without these documents, it would be extremely difficult to establish claims to ownership of properties.”

He said land documentation that normally cost N430, 000 to obtain Survey, Building Plan Approval and Certificate of Occupancy. Under Homeowners’ Charter, the cost is just N95, 000 and this can be paid in nine months instalment.

African Examiner gathered that properties built under Power Holding Company of Nigeria high tension cables, those occupying Right-of-way of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Pipeline, those on the ‘set-back’ of roads, water bodies and gullies, as well as those built on flood plans or areas that are committed acquisitions, or that are substandard or defective are not eligible for the programme.