Residents of Lagos State have been warned against the unscrupulous acts of some swindlers who parade themselves as agents engaged by the State Government to sell housing units in the state owned Housing Estates.
The Commissioner of Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai stated this during a monthly review of the activities of the ministry.
“ The general public should be wary of some individuals or organizations who parade themselves as appointed agents empowered by the State Government to put up for sale housing units built by the Ministry of Housing,” he said.
Akinderu-Fatai noted that the Ministry has received reports of innocent people being scammed by these fraudsters in past one month hence the need to alert the people of Lagos State about the activities of the swindlers.
He further revealed that the Lagos State Government has not empowered any individual or organization to sell, lease or rent out Housing units on its behalf.
Also at the forum, the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Housing, Mr. Wasiu Akewusola pointed out that the Agencies of Government that are assigned to the responsibility of outright purchase of housing unit is the Estate Department of the Ministry of Housing, Lagos State located at Block 3, Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja while acquisition of homes based on Mortgage or Rent –To-Own Scheme are handled by the State Mortgage Board sited at Hakeem Balogun Way, Alausa CBD, Ikeja.
Akewusola counseled that Individuals interested in owning homes in any of the Lagos State Housing units are implored to perform their due diligence by contacting the above agencies before making any decision to purchase saying”the State Government will in no way be liable for any loss incurred through patronage of such fraudsters “.
“There is need for prompt action to checkmate these criminals in order to protect the citizens of the State from falling victims as well as preserve the good image of the State in order not to rubbish the efforts being made to bring many more Lagosians on the homeownership ladder.”
This caveat, according to Akewusola, however does not apply to Joint Venture Schemes which are identified as such by the Boards displayed in front of such Housing schemes.
“We are also tracking down the suspected persons and any individual or organization caught engaging in the criminal act of this deception shall be brought to book,” he said.