Lagos, Nigeria – In a significant move to address concerns and frustrations of housing scheme subscribers, the Lagos State Government has fully refunded the deposits of 145 individuals who withdrew from the Egan-Igando Mixed Housing Estate Scheme.
This announcement was made in a press statement released on Monday by Adesile Rufai, the Chief Public Relations Affairs Officer for the Ministry of Housing. The refunds, reflecting a commitment to transparency and accountability, come amidst delays in the housing project’s completion due to administrative challenges and vandalism.
During discussions about the allocation of the newly completed 270 home units in Cluster 1 of the Egan Housing Scheme, Abdulhafis Toriola, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Housing, provided further insights into the development.
“The patience exhibited by the early subscribers has been commendable,” Toriola stated. “We have been working diligently to process these refunds since the tenure of former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.”
He assured subscribers who have yet to receive their refunds that the process is ongoing and urged them to visit the Ministry of Housing with their original documents.
For those who have lost their documentation, Toriola emphasized the need to provide a police report and a declaration of loss to facilitate their refund requests.
“Only those with genuine payment evidence have been refunded, while cases with questionable documentation remain under investigation,” he added.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has reiterated his administration’s commitment to protecting the interests of early subscribers who fulfilled their financial obligations. According to Toriola, subscribers who paid the full purchase price will be given their home keys immediately.
Those who have paid over 50% of the initial selling price are offered the option to either complete the payment at the current price or apply for a refund.
“The delivery of the Egan Housing Scheme remains a priority,”
Toriola assured. He highlighted that the project is still underway, with 576 homes of various categories slated for completion by the end of the first quarter of 2025.
The Egan-Igando Mixed Housing Estate Scheme, envisioned to provide affordable housing solutions, faced significant setbacks, delaying its promise of new homes to hopeful subscribers. The Lagos State Government’s recent actions, however, signal a renewed focus on fulfilling these promises and rectifying past delays.
