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Members of the House of Representative Committee on Legislative Compliance led by Honourable Abiodun Olasupo, on Thursday, waded into the land tussle between the authority of the University of Lagos and residents of Iwaya-Abete community in a fresh move to allow peace to reign in the area.
The visit which came on the heels of a petition written by the families and addressed to the Committee on Public Petition brought all parties to the dispute including the management of University of Lagos, represented by its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, representative of the Delfino Anthonio Da Meranda family, Primate Stephen Adedayo Jagun, representative of the Federal Ministry of Works, Housing and Power and other members of the House Committee.
At a brief meeting before inspection of the land in dispute, leader of the team, Hon. Olasupo representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa Federal constituency in Osun State explained that the visit by the House Committee on Legislative Compliance was basically to ensure a resolution of the House arising from the boundary disputes between UNILAG and its neighbouring communities.
He said: “Our job is simple as a review committee. It is a committee established to ensure compliance and we are here to abide by the resolution of the House Committee which stated that the University of Lagos should not exceed the limit of the land as stated in the 1962 Gazette that was given after the acquisition of land for the purpose of establishing an institution called University of Lagos.
“We have invited all parties to the land like UNILAG, the Delfino Anthonio Da Meranda family, Federal Ministry of works, Power and Housing, Ministry of Justice and Federal Ministry of Education for them to come. We were told that UNILAG, as represented by Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, confirmed to us and Bob Isika, Deputy Director of Land that they have actually not gone beyond the 1962 Gazette.
After the brief meeting, the lawmakers from the Lower House that include Segun Ogunwuyi, Shadimu Mutiu, Olufemi Olasunmbo, Deputy Director of Land and a Surveyor from Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing and delegation from UNILAg led by the VC were conducted round the disputed areas to determine the coordinate and the existing lines on the land.
Speaking further, Olasupo said, “It is a matter of law and UNILAG is a creation of law and the law that created the institution acquired a parcel of land that was gazette as far back as 1962 for it to operate. The Gazette and the coordinate still exist and it is just for us to look into the matter. We have not invited private surveyor, either from the university nor the family.
“We are using a surveyor from the Federal works and Housing to determine this simple job for the committee,” he added.
On payment of compensation, Chairman of the House Committee acknowledged recorded evidence that some affected families are yet to be paid compensation for the land acquired for the establishment of the university since 1962.
“1962 is a long period of time you will agree with me. There are empirical ways of going about the dispute. UNILAG does not have money to pay and it is not a money-making venture. Our duty as lawmakers is to appropriate and confirm that families whose lands were acquired for the establishment of the University have not been compensated.
He added: “Amount of compensation will be determined as adviced by chairman House Committee and the Federal Ministry Of Works, Power and Housing. We will now include it in the budget for Mr. President and when it is approved it becomes law and the families will receive their money and that is our words to them.”
Prof. Ogundipe in his response to alleged intimidation of residents by armed soldiers explained that their presence had nothing to with the disputes as the soldiers’ presence was informed by the contract awarded to Army Engineering Corps for perimeter fencing of the part of the land that belonged to the institution.
“They are on the land as a contractor and not soldiers in the sense residents want the public to believe. We have to fence the parts that belong to the University. We have met with the family we are still talking and we will continue to talk to them. We met with their lawyer and the family’s representative in the presence of the lawmakers in Abuja. So, I don’t see any problem with the issue because we have been relating well.
He recalled that the institution paid compensation to a family in 2013, saying that the lawmakers in conjunction with the officials of the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing were on the land to assess the matter and passed their findings and make recommendations to the Federal Government for appropriation. (Daily Independent)
The visit which came on the heels of a petition written by the families and addressed to the Committee on Public Petition brought all parties to the dispute including the management of University of Lagos, represented by its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, representative of the Delfino Anthonio Da Meranda family, Primate Stephen Adedayo Jagun, representative of the Federal Ministry of Works, Housing and Power and other members of the House Committee.
At a brief meeting before inspection of the land in dispute, leader of the team, Hon. Olasupo representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa Federal constituency in Osun State explained that the visit by the House Committee on Legislative Compliance was basically to ensure a resolution of the House arising from the boundary disputes between UNILAG and its neighbouring communities.
He said: “Our job is simple as a review committee. It is a committee established to ensure compliance and we are here to abide by the resolution of the House Committee which stated that the University of Lagos should not exceed the limit of the land as stated in the 1962 Gazette that was given after the acquisition of land for the purpose of establishing an institution called University of Lagos.
“We have invited all parties to the land like UNILAG, the Delfino Anthonio Da Meranda family, Federal Ministry of works, Power and Housing, Ministry of Justice and Federal Ministry of Education for them to come. We were told that UNILAG, as represented by Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, confirmed to us and Bob Isika, Deputy Director of Land that they have actually not gone beyond the 1962 Gazette.
After the brief meeting, the lawmakers from the Lower House that include Segun Ogunwuyi, Shadimu Mutiu, Olufemi Olasunmbo, Deputy Director of Land and a Surveyor from Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing and delegation from UNILAg led by the VC were conducted round the disputed areas to determine the coordinate and the existing lines on the land.
Speaking further, Olasupo said, “It is a matter of law and UNILAG is a creation of law and the law that created the institution acquired a parcel of land that was gazette as far back as 1962 for it to operate. The Gazette and the coordinate still exist and it is just for us to look into the matter. We have not invited private surveyor, either from the university nor the family.
“We are using a surveyor from the Federal works and Housing to determine this simple job for the committee,” he added.
On payment of compensation, Chairman of the House Committee acknowledged recorded evidence that some affected families are yet to be paid compensation for the land acquired for the establishment of the university since 1962.
“1962 is a long period of time you will agree with me. There are empirical ways of going about the dispute. UNILAG does not have money to pay and it is not a money-making venture. Our duty as lawmakers is to appropriate and confirm that families whose lands were acquired for the establishment of the University have not been compensated.
He added: “Amount of compensation will be determined as adviced by chairman House Committee and the Federal Ministry Of Works, Power and Housing. We will now include it in the budget for Mr. President and when it is approved it becomes law and the families will receive their money and that is our words to them.”
Prof. Ogundipe in his response to alleged intimidation of residents by armed soldiers explained that their presence had nothing to with the disputes as the soldiers’ presence was informed by the contract awarded to Army Engineering Corps for perimeter fencing of the part of the land that belonged to the institution.
“They are on the land as a contractor and not soldiers in the sense residents want the public to believe. We have to fence the parts that belong to the University. We have met with the family we are still talking and we will continue to talk to them. We met with their lawyer and the family’s representative in the presence of the lawmakers in Abuja. So, I don’t see any problem with the issue because we have been relating well.
He recalled that the institution paid compensation to a family in 2013, saying that the lawmakers in conjunction with the officials of the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing were on the land to assess the matter and passed their findings and make recommendations to the Federal Government for appropriation. (Daily Independent)
