The Oyo State Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development Mr. William Akinlayo Funmilayo, has expressed confidence that the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the State will experience significant increment by the end of the year.

He disclosed this when the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, visited him in his office on a fact finding mission.

The Commissioner for Lands noted that measures are being put in place to transform Oyo State’s IGR under the present administration.

The Commissioner noted that between January and March of 2024, there has been a noticeable improvement in the rate of tax payment compared to the same period in 2023 adding that one of the key factors contributing to the outlook is the increasing compliance of residents to the payment of land use charges due to ease of payment.

Mr. Funmilayo encouraged taxpayers to download the Oyo State Property Reference Service (OYPRS) App from the Google Play Store or Apple Store as this will allow them to make seamless payments without visiting banks

He revealed further that the technical challenges in the issuance of Certificate of Occupancy have been overcome such that the documents will now be issued within 40 days instead of 60 days

He said the Ministry of Lands has made significant progress in digitizing the land management system, with 46% of the C-of-Os completed in 2023; whereas this same volume of 46% has already been met within the first quarter of 2024.

Regarding the ongoing Ibadan circular road project, Mr. Funmilayo clarified that 60 houses were demolished to clear obstructions along the road’s corridor, emphasizing the importance of this clearance is for the safety of the public. He assured that affected property owners would be compensated or relocated as necessary.

He also commended the Governor for his commitment to providing quality housing schemes, with several housing estates being developed across the State.

“To make housing more accessible to all residents, especially those in the middle and lower income brackets, Individuals interested in these housing options are encouraged to visit the Ministry of Lands for guidance” He said

The Commissioner underscored Government’s dedication to making Reserved Areas environmental friendly and sustainable thus promoting eco-friendly practices, and preserving the beauty of Oyo State for future generations.

He extolled Governor Makinde for increasing the housing loan fund for civil servants.

Oyo State Government has commenced the demolition of structures at on- going 110 kilometer circular road corridor.

The Honourable Commissioner for the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr Williams Akin Funmilayo said that the Land has been in Ibadan master plan of Government since 1978 while it was also acquired in 2016.

He noted that the existing structures within the corridor of the Circular road will be pulled down.

He said that, the circular road is in about four phases: Lagos-Ibadan, Ife- Ibadan, Ibadan-Ife and Ilorin-Ibadan adding that the road encircled Ibadan, that is why it is called Circular Road and would soon be commissioned.

According to the Lands Helmsman, the exercise is not spontaneous because residents along the corridors were notified before the commencement of the exercise.

He further explained that structures that have approved documents would be enumerated and duly compensated.

He advised people willing to buy Land to always verify the genuiness of the Land at the Ministry before buying them.

The Government of Oyo State, on Wednesday, demolished scores of structures in Ibadan, the State capital.

The demolition, which began at Fashade community, on Tuesday, along Circular Road will affect about 12 villages in the Ona-Ara Local Government Area of the State.

The affected communities are Fashade; Aba Osho; Igbalefa; Adigbe; Badeku; Akamo; Alase; Ojoku; Dare; Isase; Oleke Meji as well as Ogido, all within the Local Government Area.

A community leader in one of the affected areas, Abdulfatal Amubikan, told our The Punch Correspondent, who visited the area, on Wednesday, that “about 500 houses had been demolished.”

This exercise came to us as a surprise. The Governor had, during our peaceful protest to the Secretariat in January, promised that our houses would not be demolished. I was privileged to speak on behalf of others when we went there. We told him about what was posted on our houses by the Ministry of Lands.

“And first, the Governor promised that our houses would not be demolished, that we should go back to our various homes. Secondly, he promised to talk to the Commissioner for Lands and get back in three months. That we should just give him (Makinde) three months to work on it, but we should rest assured that the Government will not demolish our houses. The Government did not wait till three months (April) before it started demolishing our houses.

“We expected that three months to lapse by next month (April) to meet the Governor again about his promise. He also promised that the Government would compensate affected residents, and since yesterday (Tuesday) till today (Wednesday), about 500 houses have been demolished. And it is still an ongoing exercise”, he lamented.

Another victim, Usman Ikram, said, “I was not at home when the exercise began. It was one of our neighbours who called me that the Government had started demolishing my house. It was a bad experience I never either prayed for or expected in my life. I was crying within myself. Though, I still thank God because He knows everything.

Oyo State Government has re-opened some access roads to existing Government Reservations Areas (GRAs) within Ibadan Metropolis.

The Commissioner for Lands Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Williams Akin-Funmilayo, on Friday, said this is to ease the hardship land owners face in such GRAs which includes Omololu Olunloyo Ring Road, Ogun Osun River Basin, Aba igbira, Galilee Foundation, Elenusonso and NIHORT.

According to him, some portions of the affected GRAs at Ogun-Osun River Basin are Government Acquisitions which were only leased with TOL (Temporary Occupation License), prior to the advent of the present administration, adding that it has been designed into Layout as GRA’s.

He added that some of the allottees did not have access to their lands due to non availability of access roads and the nefarious activities of some land grabbers.

Mr. Akin-Funmilayo however promised that the exercise would provide necessary access to rightful owners of land to develop their portions of the lands.

The Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, today called on members of staff to be alive to their responsibilities in the new year.

He said this during an interfaith prayer session, held at the Ministry to usher in the new year.

The Commissioner appreciated all members of staff for their cooperation in year 2023, imploring them to continue in the same manner for a positive change.

He stressed the need for them to work diligently to complement the efforts of the Oyo State Government.

According to him, ‘our challenges is to meet our targets for the year 2024, hence, we have to work hand in hand so as to meet more than the targets because last year, our achievement through our efficiency provided us with a legal practitioner to the Ministry while our improved productivity between July and December 2023 has brought about many fortune to the Ministry such as Legal Adviser to the Ministry and Approval of appointment which will be done basically on hardwork, efficiency and productivity.

Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Mofoluke Adebiyi emphasized the need for workers and the management to work in synergy as this administration continues while she also implored the staff to ensure clean environment as cleanliness is next to godliness.

A member of staff, Mr. Oladiran Olutayo Abiodun on behalf of other staffers, promised to uphold the legacy being put in place by the Commissioner and his team.

Oyo State Government has described as rumours, the report making rounds that it has allocated Agodi Botanical Gardens to a proposed Housing Estate, stating it is baseless and untrue.

Mr. Williams Akin Funmilayo, the Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, said that mischief makers are trying to bring the State Government into an unnecessary distraction and nullify the laudable achievements recorded so far.

He disclosed further that the Government values reforestation and afforestation, and as such, would not convert Agodi gardens into a residential Estate.

He added that the large expanse of land to be converted to Baywood Estate does not include the Agodi Botanical Gardens.

The Commissioner also said the State Government has plans to upgrade the garden to an international standard, such that it will compete with other botanical gardens across the globe.

Therefore, Akin- Funmilayo re-echoed that the Governor did not give any order to his office for the conversion of Agodi Gardens to Housing Estate.

He recalled that the Agodi Botanical Gardens was created in the year 1967, but was destroyed by the Ogunpa flood disaster in 1980 by the raging water but got renovated in 2012 and reopened in 2014 as a tourist attraction in the ancient city of Ibadan.

He therefore said the garden is a lasting legacy, which the present administration will never joke with, adding that the Seyi Makinde led administration will not leave any stone unturned in making Oyo State an habitable place for all.

The Commissioner implored the general public to disregard any rumor on the sales of Agodi Gardens, assuring that the proposed Baywood Estate by Government will not encroach into Agodi Gardens.

“The reason why Government is intending to convert the forest to Housing Estate is to make the place more secure, as the place is a death zone that serves as harbour to many criminals where many innocent lives have been lost”, he said.

He also said, “Anybody that is in doubt of what the Government wants to do around that corridor should come to the Ministry for further clarifications.”

“We therefore call on the public to disregard any information related to the conversion of Agodi Botanical Gardens to an estate, as the Government is determined to protect public places in the best interest of its citizens and residents of the State”.

The Oyo State Government has described rumours making rounds that it has allocated Agodi Botanical Gardens to a proposed Housing Estate, as baseless and untrue.

The Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Williams Akin Funmilayo said that mischief makers are trying to bring the State Government into an unnecessary distraction and nullify the laudable
achievements recorded so far.

He disclosed further that the Government values reforestation and afforestation, and as such, would not convert Agodi gardens into a residential Estate.

He added that the large expanse of land to be converted to Baywood Estate does not include the Agodi Botanical Gardens.

The Commissioner also said the State Government has plans to upgrade the garden to an international standard, such that it will compete with other botanical gardens across the globe.

Therefore, Akin- Funmilayo re-echoed that the Governor did not give any order to his office for the conversion of Agodi Gardens to Housing Estate.

He recalled that the Agodi Botanical Gardens was created in the year 1967, but was destroyed by the Ogunpa flood disaster in 1980 by the raging water but got renovated in 2012 and reopened in 2014 as a tourist attraction in the ancient city of Ibadan.

He therefore said the garden is a lasting legacy, which the present administration will never joke with, adding that the Seyi Makinde led administration will not leave any stone unturned in making Oyo State an habitable place for all.

The Commissioner implored the general public to disregard any rumor on the sales of Agodi Gardens, assuring that the proposed Baywood Estate by Government will not encroach into Agodi Gardens.

“The reason why Government is intending to convert the forest to Housing Estate is to make the place more secure, as the place is a death zone that serves as harbour to many criminals where many innocent lives have been lost”, he said.

He also said, “Anybody that is in doubt of what the Government wants to do around that corridor should come to the Ministry for further clarifications.”

“We therefore call on the public to disregard any information related to the conversion of Agodi Botanical Gardens to an estate, as the Government is determined to protect public places in the best interest of its citizens and residents of the State”.