The Lagos State government has, Tuesday, said two houses used in defrauding unsuspected residents in the state had been confiscated, as it warned that any fraudsters caught henceforth would be prosecuted.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing, Mrs. Toke Benson Awoyinka, said this at the annual ministerial press briefing to commemorate the first year of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration.
“The government has resolved to take such strong measures to stop developers or agents from defrauding the public in the state.
According to Awoyinka, Benson, who is also in charge of the Lagos State Real Estate Transaction Department (LASRETRAD), said her office is currently prosecuting a developer who defrauded members of the public in Ketu and Mafoluku areas.
The SA further noted that the government had also seized their properties and her office was working on how to sell the properties with proceeds from the sale used to settle the defrauded the public.
“I appealed to the public to always patronise agents and developers who are registered with my agency,” she encouraged.
Awoyinka also revealed that they had successfully reviewed The Lagos State Estate Agency Regulatory Law, Cap L28, Laws of Lagos State, 2015 (“Law”) presently in operation in the State, which provides for the establishment of the Lagos State Re Estate Regulatory Authority.
Her words: “The essence of this Law is to regulate real estate transactions in the state by identifying persons eligible to be licensed as Real Estate Practitioners and provides for the issuance or renewal of annual permits.”
Accordingly, she added that the authority has the responsibility for maintaining a register of Licensed Real Estate Practitioners and sanctioning of unlicensed Estate Agents in the state.
