Ibikunle Amosun, Governor of Ogun State.
Ten years after some medical doctors were promised landed property in the Sagamu corridor by the Ogun authorities, that dream of home ownership seem to have evaporated, following their inability to secure land allocations.
The aggrieved resident doctors, who were formerly post-graduate medical students at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, (OOUTH), Sagamu have sent a save our soul message to Governor Ibikunle Amosun as the land transaction has been engulfed in some degrees of uncertainty and breaches by some senior government officials.
The doctors under the auspices of Resident Doctors Association (RDA) are not deterred, only trusting on Governor Amosun’s goodwill to ensure that their dreams of owing a land and building their homes are realised despite the delay.
The Guardian authoritatively learnt that the transaction involving cluster of 30 plots located at Agbele community in Sagamu area was consummated during the era of former Governor Gbenga Daniel through the Ogun State Housing Corporation.
According to the leader of the group, Dr. Olukayode Oluyemi, the doctors thought of investing into property under their welfare scheme and decided to approach the erstwhile governor, who directed them to the then Managing Director of Ogun State Housing Corporation. The corporation agreed to allocate the parcels of land at Agbele community to them.
The Guardian learnt that the doctors were shown the layout of the land, survey drawings and evidence of government acquisition and payment of compensation to the community, which was later confirmed by the traditional leader of the community.
Afterwards, they were made to pay N100, 000 application fee for allocation and a total sum of N300, 000 with a promise that they will be issued a Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) for the land.
But the doctors said after making the payments, the government officials started foot dragging on their promise, saying there was a change of plan for public interest.
“The issue lasted for four years before the government called us for the revalidation of the land and we were asked to pay N600, 000 as the initial N300, 000 was no longer untenable.
“We were perturbed but after some consultations, we made the full payment but we are still at a loss on why we are yet to take possession of the land”, said Dr. Oluyemi.
The doctors further said they had met with officials of the housing corporation, and the Ministry of Physical Planning but were not getting proper response.
A source from the community told The Guardian that attempt by officials of Ogun State Government in the past to gain entry to the land and allocate the parcels of land to the doctors was rebuffed by the community as timber merchants have taken over the area.
Investigation by The Guardian however showed that no further attempt was made in the past years to allocate the landed property, which is now being occupied by Chinese timber contractors.
The Guardian further learnt that two factors seem to be militating against the doctors taking possession of the land.One was the occupation of Chinese timber contractors on the portion of land and another the collaboration between some government officials and community leaders to support illegal activities in the area.
The doctors’ grouse is that they are being shortchanged after paying to the coffers of the state government. They are calling on the governor, who they said has demonstrated the political will to reduce hindrances to ease of doing business in the state to come to their aids.
The doctors are appealing to the governor to ensure that they take possession of their plots of land or alternative land as there are still empty plots in the area.
But reacting to the concerns of the resident doctors, the general manager of the State Housing Corporation, Mrs. Jumoke Akinwunmi said the resident doctor’s patience on the matter is appreciated, as it is one of the cases they inherited.
According to her, “the Corporation is fully aware of the matter and we are also making frantic efforts to ensure that we put the RDA in peaceful possession.
“The Timber business on the land is also illegal and they have been notified. In any case, we hope to conclude this matter soonest”, she added.
