The Ogun State Government has denied that it has sealed off the Asoludero Court, the Conference Hotels, and its annex, the properties of the former governor Gbenga Daniel, in the Sagamu Government Reserved Area.
Recall, the state government had on Friday, August 11, issued a contravention and quit notices to the management of the properties.
Officials of the Ogun State Planning and Development Permit Authority, Sagamu Zonal Office, were however reported to had stormed the premises at about mid-morning on Monday, pasting fresh “Sealing” and “Demolition” notices on the gates and walls of the multi-billion-naira facilities.
But during a press conference later on Monday evening, the Commissioner for Urban Planning and Physical Development, Tunji Odunlami disclosed that the state government has not sealed the former governor’s house and hotels, describing the report as false.
Odunlami denied, saying that the paper pasted was not a sealing notice, but a stop notice and quit notice, directing the property’s representatives to appear at the ministry for clarification.
His words “What we are currently doing is therefore no exception. This exercise had been done in Abeokuta and is now extended to Shagamu and Ijebuode where there is no force except this only one. It is still going to be carried out in Ota and Ilaro where we also have GRA’s.
“All the owner of any building serve the notice need to do is simply to go to the office that issued the notice and present their permits and other documents for verification. As we speak, distinguished Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel is yet to do so or make any representation to that effect.
“The state government has a standing mandate to enforce its physical planning laws and does so every day across the state, considering only the law and the public good.
“They form only a small part of several enforcement notices which are issued every month, indeed every day. The goal of fiscal planning law and regulation is to aid urban development and to control the uses of land in the public interest. The goal is not to victimize anybody who obeys the law.
Odunlami stressed that the State government issues enforcement notices, genuine developers respond through the proper channels by justifying their developments or seeking plan adjustments and ratifications.
The commissioner stated that the state physical planning law and all regulations under it are enforceable at any time and for all time on all developments in the state, including developments that preceded the law.
Citing section 73 of the law of the state’s physical planning law, Odunlami said an enforcement notice may be issued under subsection one of this section not to withstanding that the unauthorized development, renovation, alteration, repair, addition, or violation took place before the commencement of this law.
“We appeal to distinguished Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel to send his representative to the relevant government office to show his documents for verification and obtain clearance.”