Yesterday, the Lagos State House of Assembly confirmed 22 out of the 39 cabinet nominees submitted for screening by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. The confirmation process was conducted following a thorough evaluation by an ad-hoc committee led by Hon. Fatai Mojeed, the Chief Whip of the House, under the leadership of Speaker Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.
In a statement issued by the Speaker’s Media Aide, Eromosele Ebhomele, Speaker Obasa praised the committee’s efficiency and reminded the confirmed nominees of their responsibility to serve the people of the state rather than individual interests. He assured that the House would continue to act in the best interest of the state.
The confirmation was carried out through a voice vote, with each nominee’s name mentioned by Dr. Obasa during the process. However, 17 of the nominees were rejected by the lawmakers.
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Among those confirmed are Hon. Layode Ibrahim, Mr. Mobolaji Ogunlende, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, Hon. Bola Olumegbon, Mr. Idris Aregbe, Ms. Abisola Ruth Olusanya, Mr. Moruf Akinderu Fatai, Mr. Kayode Bolaji-Roberts, Engr. Abiola Olowu, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih-Awokoya, Mr. Yakub Adedayo Alebiosu, Mr. Lawal Pedro SAN, Mr. Tunbosun Alake, Mr. Gbenga Oyerinde, Dr. Adekunle Olayinka, Dr. Jide Babatunde, Mr. Afolabi Ayantayo, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, Mr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, Mr. Jamiu Alli-Balogun, and Mr. Abdulkabir Ogungbo.
Notably, the House did not provide reasons for rejecting the 17 nominees. Hon. Mojeed Fatai, who reported on the screening exercise, did not explain the basis for their rejection either. Some of these nominees had previously served in Governor Sanwo-Olu’s cabinet and were acknowledged for their performance in their respective ministries.
It’s worth mentioning that prior to this confirmation process, leaders of the Muslim community in Lagos had protested against the composition of the initial list of 39 commissioner nominees. They argued that the list was unfair to Muslim practitioners in the state and called for a thorough review.
In other news, luxury apartments constructed as part of a partnership between the Lagos State government and Legrande Properties Development Company will soon be available through a rent-to-own scheme. The managing director of Legrande Properties, Jide Durojaiye, revealed this during a tour of the estate for members of the Property and Environment Writers Association of Nigeria (PEWAN).
Durojaiye mentioned that construction has commenced on 5,000 affordable housing units in Lagos, and he encouraged Nigerians to consider rent-to-own as a solution to the nation’s housing needs. The project, called ‘Alexandra Courts Estate’ in Ibeju-Lekki, is a Public Private Partnership with the Lagos State Government and the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN). It also offers loan opportunities to contributors of the National Housing Fund scheme, up to N15 million.
The estate, spanning 400 hectares, will consist of 3,000 terraces and 2000 flats, with basic infrastructure and amenities such as 24-hour electricity, security, internet, swimming pool, a central park, gym, and more. The project aims to address Nigeria’s housing deficit and stimulate economic growth.
Durojaiye emphasized that rent-to-own is a viable solution for individuals who may not have a substantial down payment or a high enough credit score to qualify for a mortgage, allowing them to rent with the intention to buy. He urged governments at all levels to increase investments in the housing sector to bridge the housing gap and boost the country’s GDP.
