Sanwo-Olu
The Lagos State Government is proposing the establishment of a dedicated sinking fund for state-owned housing schemes to ensure ongoing maintenance, structural upgrades, and long-term asset preservation across its residential estates.
The Commissioner for Housing, Mr. Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, disclosed the plan on Monday during the Estate Management Workshop organized by the Ministry of Housing in Lagos under the theme, “Knowing Your Estate to Own It.”
Akinderu-Fatai stressed that resident compliance with service charges and special levies would be strictly mandatory to prevent asset depreciation. He expressed concern over the physical decay of several public estates, noting that their present condition undermines the state’s “Greater Lagos” vision and that the government can no longer shoulder basic upkeep costs like painting and cosmetic repairs.
“We are considering a plan through which a sinking fund, comprising contributions by residents, is made available for the upgrade,” Akinderu-Fatai said, emphasizing that residents and estate executive committees must take direct responsibility for sustaining their living environments.
The commissioner also criticized the breakdown of rules and governance within government-owned estates, calling out facility managers for operational negligence, unauthorized commercial activity, and divisive behavior.
He accused some managers of illegally selling common spaces without government or association approval, failing to conduct routine property evaluations, and delegating duties to untrained oversight personnel.
“What we have discovered over time is that most of them, even those who are experienced, don’t bother to visit their estates for evaluation and monitoring,” he stated, reminding facility managers that they remain employees accountable to homeowners and estate associations.
Addressing reporters at the event, Mrs. Kemi Fosudo, Director of Estate Services in the Ministry, highlighted that the state government has invested heavily in residential housing development across all five administrative divisions of Lagos and cannot allow these public assets to degrade into slums.
Fosudo explained that the workshop was designed to bridge management gaps, align facility managers with resident associations, and enforce unified operational standards to guarantee quality municipal services across all state-owned estates. (NAN)
