LAGOS PAYS LADEKIN, IGBODU AND MOLAJOYE FAMILIES N38M COMPENSATION OVER ACQUIRED AGRIC LAND ®™✓ INN Nigeria ©

Lagos State Government has paid N38million as crops compensation to 15 traditional land owing families of Ladekin, Igbodu, and Molajoye all in Epe over the acquisition of 500 hectares of land in the community for the purpose of integrated Agricultural activities.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms Abisola Olusanya who made the cheque presentations to representatives of the concerned communities over the weekend in Lagos explained that the acquisition was part of the State Government’s strategy around the 5-Year Agricultural and Food Systems Roadmap which was recently launched.

She stated that by acquiring the land for agricultural purposes, the State Government sees it as a way of also bringing jobs and infrastructural development to the area as whatever businesses would be set up there would require the workforce of the residents of Igbodu.

“I recall that the State Government through the Agricultural Land Holdings Authority (ALHA) as the custodian of all agricultural lands in the State acquired 500 hectares of Agricultural land from the traditional land owning families of Ladekin, Igbodu, and Molajoye in Epe for the sole purpose of integrated Agricultural activities through a Revocation Notice published in the Official Gazette No. 33, Volume 18, dated the 4th of July, 1985.

“Over N38M has been paid so far to 15 families. The criteria used for the payment is the size of land owned by each of these families.

There is a standard amount paid per hectare of land and it is on that basis that for whatever hectares of land we are acquiring from that family, they are paid and compensated accordingly.

“I should also note that this is not just about the monetary aspect alone for the people of Igbodu. We will be bringing infrastructural development and the private sector to the area.

Obviously, whatever businesses would be set up in that location would require labour and certain resources which only the Igbodu people can provide,” Olusanya asserted.

According to her, the State Government recognises the economic and social importance of the land to the people hence its decision to pay crops compensation to all the affected families bearing in mind that most of the traditional land owners make their livelihood from the lands.

She noted that the exercise further reiterates the synergy that exists between traditional land owners and the State Government thereby reinforcing the peaceful co-existence among all stakeholders which is a key factor towards bringing development to rural areas of the State.

Olusanya disclosed that the State Government prioritises the prompt payments of compensations to agricultural land owning families adding that it was the same in the cases of other established Farm Estates such as Odogunyan Fish Farm Estate, Ikorodu; Erikorodo Poultry Estate, Ikorodu; Agbowa Arable Crops Estate, Epe; Igbodu Farm Estate Phases 1 & 2, Epe and Iya-Afin Vegetable Estate, Badagry amongst others.

The Commissioner therefore reiterated the State Government’s commitment to the welfare of its citizenry while commending the beneficiaries for their patience and understanding while the processes of the crops presentation were being concluded.