Present Your Documents For Regularisation, Stop Media Sensation, Ogun Govt Tells Daniel

The Ogun State Government has called on ex-governor Gbenga Daniel to submit the building approval and other documents of his private residence and two hotel properties in Sagamu and stop media sensationalism.

The Commissioner for Urban and Regional Planning, Tpl. Tunji Odunlami disclosed this on Monday in a swift reaction to the press conference held by former governor Gbenga Daniel in Sagamu.

Recall that, the Ogun State government on Friday pasted Notices of Contravention, Quit and threats of demolition on the Asoludero Court Sagamu private residence of Gbenga Daniel, the Conference Hotels Limited, Sagamu and the hotel Annex of the former Governor of Ogun State.

The government said it was not engaged in any untoward move against Otunba Gbenga Daniel in any way.

The state government maintained that it was embarking on holistic approach to development efforts across the length and breadth of Ogun state as governor Dapo Abiodun embarked not only on building new communities as exemplified by the affordable housing estates and the yellow roof revolution but also on the redevelopment of Ogun State’s towns and cities through urban renewal.

The government said the initiative involves the auditing of existing developments within these areas in order to determine the permit status of all types of developments, including houses, schools, hospitals, and other commercial buildings.

It said it is a statutory and due process requirement 6 provide information for any government intervention, saying, “this informed the development audit exercise currently being carried out simultaneously both in Ijebu-Ode and Sagamu GRAs.”

But addressing journalists at his Asoludero Court, Senator Gbenga Daniel described the government action as political vendetta.

Daniel, who spoke through his media aide, Steve Oliyide said the notices purportedly received on Friday, August 8, was a clear demonstration of “malicious and vindictive abuse of power, hiding behind a newly-enacted law retroactively to target a political opponent.”

According to Daniel, his private residence and two hotels have been built since 2004 before the newly enacted building plan law of 2022.

Senator Daniel argued that, if the state government was in doubt of the legality of his properties, it ought to have notice of inquiry instead of notices of contravention and demolition without any fact finding.

In a swift reaction, the Commissioner for Urban and Regional Planning, Tpl. Tunji Odunlami, while addressing journalists at the governor’s office later in the evening, said the verification exercises of the permit status of a types of development including houses, schools, hospitals. and other commercial buildings was to allow the owners of such properties were served due notices to approach the state Planning and Development Permit Authority, an agency of the Ministry of Physical planning and Urban Development to present relevant documents in conformity with existing building laws and regulations.

Odunlami said, rather than, crying foul in the media, what Senator Daniel should do is simply to go to the office that issued the notice and present his permit and other documents for verification.

He said, “it is pertinent to note that this is a daily, routine, and ongoing activity of this agency and is devoid of witch hunting, and therefore not designed to harm the interest of any individual.

“It is a simple and transparent approach which is known and adopted the world over including most states in Nigeria. What we are currently doing is no exception.

“This exercise had been done in Abeokuta and is now extended to Sagamu and Ijebu-Ode where there is no fuss except this only one. It is still going to be carried out in Ota and Ilaro where we also have GRAs.

“All the owner of any building served the notice need to do is simply to go to the office that issued the notice and present their permit and other documents for verification. As we speak, Otunba Gbenga Daniel is yet to do so or make any representation to that effect.

“Ogun 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 public good. The identity of developers does not feature in its considerations. The current enforcement notices issued are no different, and they are not special – they form only a small part of several enforcement notices issued this month.

“The goal of physical planning laws and regulations is to aid urban development and to control the uses of land, in the public interest. The goal is not to victimise anybody who wishes to obey the law. That is why whenever OGSG issues enforcement notices, genuine developers respond through the proper channels by justifying their developments or seeking plan adjustments and ratifications. While OGSG does not concede the stated ages or stages of these developments, the law is clear – 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 precede the Law. Section 73 of the State’s Physical Planning Law provides that:

“An enforcement notice may be issued under subsection (I) of this Section, notwithstanding that the unauthorized development, renovation, alteration, repair, addition, or violation took place before the commencement of this Law. We appeal to Otunba Gbenga Daniel to send his representative to the relevant government office to show his documents for verification and obtain clearance if he is in compliance or advice to rectify any violation.”