Lagos Assembly Forms Committee to Retrieve Government Properties

The Lagos State House of Assembly has set up an eight-member committee. Their job is to find, list, and help recover assets owned by the government.

The committee will also check the status of both recorded and unrecorded properties and other assets belonging to the state government.

Obafemi Saheed, the committee's chairman, said on Friday that this task is part of the assembly’s duty to ensure accountability and good management of public funds.

Mr Saheed explained that the committee will look at government spending, keep an eye on how public money is used, and make sure taxpayers' money goes to the right places.

"This exercise will help determine the assets owned by the state, assess their current conditions and establish whether they were being effectively utilised for the benefit of residents," he said.

He also urged Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) that have not sent in the needed documents to do so quickly and show up before the committee as planned.

Mr Saheed warned that heads of MDAs and other bodies who ignore invitations or show disrespect during the proceedings would face serious consequences.

He mentioned that the committee has the authority to summon people and can ask the assembly for permission to issue arrest warrants against those who do not comply.

MDAs that have already met with the committee include the Lagos State New Town Development Authority (NTDA), Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), and Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).

Others include the Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture and the Ministries of Basic and Secondary Education, Tertiary Education, Wealth Creation and Employment, Lagos State Ferry Services, Lagos State Printing Corporation, Lagos State Agriculture Input Supply Authority, and Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority.

During these meetings, the committee asked the agencies for more details and directed them to provide complete records of all assets they manage, including both documented and undocumented properties.

The goal is to identify, confirm, and help recover government assets for the benefit of Lagos residents.

The committee plans to continue its work, with more MDAs scheduled to appear before it.