By Elizabeth Oyeniwa
The Ondo State House of Assembly has called for accelerated processing and issuance of Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) to improve ease of doing business and enable property owners to access financial benefits.
The House also urged the Ministry of Lands and Housing, the Ondo State Property Development Corporation (OSDPC) and the Ondo State Signage and Advertisement Agency (OSSAA) to strengthen collaboration with the legislature for improved service delivery.
The call was made by the House Committee on Lands and Housing, led by its Chairman, Chief Abiola Oladapo, during an oversight visit to the ministry and the two agencies in Akure on Wednesday.
Oladapo, who represents Ondo West Constituency II, said the visit was to assess their activities and budget performance, identify challenges and explore areas requiring legislative support.
The committee specifically sought explanations for the delay in C of O processing, noting that landowners need the document to secure investments, loans and other financial opportunities.
It also directed the Ministry of Lands and Housing to submit documents on its ongoing projects and contractors, disclosing that members would embark on physical inspection of the projects to ascertain their levels of completion.
The lawmakers assured the ministry and agencies of legislative backing, stressing that sustained engagement would help the House understand their challenges and factor them into its reports and budget considerations.
Speaking on behalf of the Commissioner for Infrastructure, Lands and Housing, Engr. Ayorinde Abiola Olawoye, the Permanent Secretary, Lands and Housing, Mr. Niyi Akinbola, said the ministry is responsible for land administration, construction of public buildings and renovation of government facilities.
Akinbola listed ongoing projects to include the new High Court Complex at Alagbaka, 32 units of four-bedroom terrace buildings for cabinet members, the Ministry of Finance Office Complex, a two-storey office building for the Ondo State Public Complaints, Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption Commission, two hostel blocks at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Ikare-Akoko, and the Accountant-General’s Office, among others.
He added that renovation works are ongoing at the Ministries of Water Resources, Energy, Women Affairs and other government facilities, noting that land administration has been digitised to ensure transparency. He, however, cited inadequate security for field officers as a major challenge and called for enhanced protection.
At the OSDPC, the General Manager, Mrs. Nene Ogunleye, thanked the committee for the visit, saying it would deepen the relationship between the corporation and the legislature. She said the corporation, supervised by the Ministry of Infrastructure, Lands and Housing, is mandated to provide affordable housing but faces challenges in fully delivering on its mandate.
The committee assured the corporation of its support and urged its management to maintain regular communication with the House to enable appropriate legislative intervention in housing delivery.
At OSSAA, the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Morayo Bayo-Philips, who represented the Chairman of the agency, said the agency will continue to carry out its core duties, including registration and permitting of signage and outdoor advertising structures, inspection of approved sites, renewal of expired permits and enforcement against unauthorised structures.
She disclosed that the agency is collaborating with local governments to identify and capture signage owners and outdoor advertising structures across the state, a move she said will create a comprehensive statewide database, curb revenue leakages and improve compliance.
The committee also pledged legislative support to the agency and urged it to sustain its synergy with the House.
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