FG adopts negotiated settlement in property dispute with Lagos state
By
May 6, 2008, 08:48

President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has directed further negotiations between officials of the federal Government and those of Lagos State Government on disputed lands and properties.

The stance on negotiated settlement would cover ownership, use, management and control of Federal landed property in Lagos, the former capital city of the federation.

President Yar’Adua made the decision for further negotiation on Monday May 5 after listening to a presentation made by a Federal Government team comprising Ministers of Housing and Urban Development and Environment.

Special Adviser to the President on Communications), Mr Olusegun Adeniyi, explained that the meeting agreed on the following four points:

The Federal Government would not take unilateral action on the matter.

There would be enforcement of rights where there are no legal impediments.

Officials of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development would liaise with the Attorney General and Minister for Justice to negotiate with their counterparts from Lagos state on all issues, negotiate, do trade-off where possible and examine all the laws.

Lastly, that there would be a last recourse, which would be the Federal Government seeking the Supreme Court's interpretation on the remaining contending issues.

The issues to be determined include:
• ownership of property leased to third parties in other locations than Ikoyi within Lagos State
• property being re-developed in partnership with private developers including the Federal Secretariat, Ikoyi
• the Federal Government's iconic buildings/complexes in Lagos
• development control over property of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) concessioned to third parties for port operations and NPA land in Kirikiri, Lagos
• legal rights of control and management over inland waterways
• legal ownership, management and control of Rights of Federal Highways (ROW)
• legal rights of ownership, management and control of railways and legal rights of control and
• management of way leases/rights-of-way for petroleum and gas pipelines and electricity cables.

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