In a bid to prevent future disasters, the Oyo State Government has announced plans to remove structures illegally erected on flood plains, waterways and buildings under high-tension power lines.
The State Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr Emmanuel Olayiwola, made this known to newsmen in Ibadan on Thursday after a meeting with key stakeholders in the sector.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the government said it would serve contravention notices to traders as well as residents of Ibadan and its environs concerned before the commencement of the removal.
Olayiwola said that the issue had become a subject of concern to government, decrying the illegal development under power lines in the state.
The commissioner said that the structures under pipe lines and high-tension cables were in deviance to the state’s physical planning law.
Olayiwola said that illicit development activities without adherence to planning standard in the state, gave birth to the sprawl of illegal structures all over the state.
He said that the illegal developments if not checked on time, would pose huge threat to residents of the state.
“The ministry, following reports from concerned citizens over erection of structures under power lines and its attendant health hazard to the good people, will swing into action very soon,” he said.
The commissioner said that the state government would soon embark on property auditing, enforcement of planning standards and technological innovations.
Olayiwola said that the state government had introduced a lands administration system to manage the generation of demand notice.
He said that the billing system had been deployed to town planning offices across the 11 local governments in Ibadan zone for a test run.
Olayiwola said that the ministry was on the verge of eradicating manual invoice/bill, saying that government had constituted an enforcement initiative to check the excessive growth of illegal activities in the state.
“This exercise is just to ensure a sustainable, organised and livable environment for the citizens of the state,” he said.
The commissioner warned members of the public against attack and abuse of government officials in the course of duty.
He advised developers in the state to obtain approval from the town planning offices in their various local governments before embarking on any development.
Olayiwola urged residents of the state to continue to abide by the provisions of the Oyo State Physical Planning policies in order to achieve the developmental plans of the government for the state.
“Our people should always report illegal development/structures in any place within the state to the appropriate agency of government because government officials can’t cover every area.
“They should ensure all government fees are paid accordingly. In order to achieve this, government has acceded to the yearnings of the public by approving a revised tax regime for planning approvals,” he said.
The commissioner said that the state government had revised the mandatory tax clearance fee downward for convenience of residents.
He said that the 11 Local Government Areas in Ibadan fell under the first category, who would pay N50,600 as tax and development fees, rather than the initial payment of N120, 000.
The commissioner said that Oyo East, Oyo West, Atiba, Ogbomoso South, Ogbomoso North, Saki West, Iseyin, Surulere, Afijio, Ibarapa Central and Ibarapa East Local Governments are in the second category.
Olayiwola said that those in the second category would pay N30,600 as tax and development fees.
He listed Orire, Ogo-Oluwa, Itesiwaju, Iwajowa, Ibarapa North, Oorelope, Kajola, Atisbo, Olorunsogo, Irepo and Saki East Local Governments in the third category
The commissioner said that the third category of tax payers would pay the sum of N20, 600 as tax and development fees.
Olayiwola said that government would further ensure orderly development that would promote socio-economic growth, safety and security, aesthetics and wellness of the citizen as well as inhabitants of the state.
NAN reports that the meeting was attended by Mr Tilewa Folami, Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Lands and Mr Femi Awakan, the State Chairman, Internal Revenue Board.
Also present were, Mrs. Mofoluwake Adebiyi, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development as well as Directors of Town Planning from the 33 local governments of the state.