Olufunke Aladejare
Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji has reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring that owners of landed properties in the State enjoy appreciable turnover on their assets over time, promising an enabling environment for private investors to thrive in Ekiti.
Governor Oyebanji stated this during a courtesy visit by Council members of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) at the Governor’s office, Ado Ekiti on Monday.
He noted that with the level of investors visiting Ekiti State to invest in real estate, he envisioned the possibility of turning barren lands into bustling commercial hub in the nearest future.
According to a statement by the Special Adviser ( Media) to the Governor, Mr Yinka Oyebode, a major highlight of the visit by the NIESV leadership was the investiture of Governor Oyebanji as patron of the reputable professional body.
Governor Oyebanji, who spoke shortly after his investiture by the institution’s President and Chairman of Council, Dr Victor Alonge, expressed his appreciation to the Institution for the honour and promised to live up to the expectations and standards desired of a patron by collaborating with the institution to achieve its goals and objectives nationally and at the state level.
While assuring the institution of his administration’s support and collaboration, the Governor commended the State’s team for their professionalism and for providing strong and quality leadership for its members as well as effective advice for government to drive its policies formulation.
“One area that we’ve been challenged is the issue of land administration in the state and we’ve embarked on a very ambitious massive land reforms in the state to ensure that we digitize the system and put everything on a cadastral and it’s going on now with the help of Professor James Olaleye. I think by the time we finish, anybody that has land in the State, will have a bankable asset. It’s been tough, it’s been capital intensive, but it’s something we need to do because I believe strongly that land is one asset that if not carefully managed, you know, it can make or mar a people.
“One thing we have also done as a government and it’s a policy that if we are going to take over your land, which is your asset, we have to compensate. We have not taken over any land asset in the state without paying compensation because I believe strongly that if I’m going to take your means of livelihood, I must provide an alternative for you to live, so you cannot say you are developing and you are impoverishing your people. So, as a policy of government, there’s nothing we have done in this state when it comes to land acquisition, we pay compensation.” He said.
Earlier, the President of the institution, Dr Victor Alonge said Ekiti State under Governor Oyebanji is a rising citadel of progress undergoing rapid development and transformation.
This, according to him, has catapulted the Governor into a national relevance, made him a canvass for the artistry of good governance and a reference point in raising the bar of governance.
Alonge revealed that the NIESV Council approved the decoration of the Governor as its Patron in recognition of his giant developmental strides at showcasing developmental initiatives in areas such as massive infrastructural development, agriculture and food security; industrialization, security; welfare initiatives, functional education; provision of accessible and quality health care as well as initiating enduring policies that will stand the test of time and capable to outlive his administration.
He noted that Governor Oyebanji has made the State an investment destination stressing the need to continue to partner with government in Policy Formulation, Land Administration, Asset Management and Administration, Housing and Project Development and other related areas.
He added that the Institution will continue to offer the State its professional services in the best global practices, upholding our Code of Professional Ethics in doing so.
“The high point of our visit today, is the formal investiture of Your Excellency as a Patron of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV). This honour is in line with Article 7 (1) & (2) of the Constitution of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers which recognizes the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the grand patron and State Governors as patrons”, he stated.
