The Lagos State Government has responded to their decision to seal the home of the former Abia State Governor, Chief Orji Uzo Kalu in in Park View Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos. They claimed that was Orji Kalu's failure to pay statutory annual land use fees was they reason they sealed his house.
Chief Kalu in a press conference after his home in Ikoyi, Lagos, was sealed, accused the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola of pursuing a vendetta mission because of his threat to sue the state over the deportation of Igbos from Lagos State.
“When I said I vowed to take him to court over his deportation of Ndi Igbo from Lagos, he told some people that he would seal my house for threatening to take him to court.”
Lagos State Government through the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Aderemi Ibirogba, stated their side of the story.
PRESS RELEASE
“The attention of the Lagos State Government has been drawn to a misleading claim by a businessman, Mr. Orji Uzor Kalu that his Ikoyi home has been sealed off following a threat to sue the Lagos State Government over an unrelated matter.
“We wish to state, for the avoidance of doubt, that nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is that Mr. Orji Uzor Kalu’s property in Park View Estate, Ikoyi was distrained pursuant to Section 40 of the Revenue Administration Law of Lagos State for failure to pay the statutory annual land use charge despite three separate notices delivered to the said property.
“As a government driven by law and process, the Lagos State Government will ordinarily expect all law abiding residents to discharge their responsibilities to the state.
“If, in spite of failing to do so, Mr. Orji Uzor Kalu wants to give ethnic colouration to a routine performance of its duties by an agency of the state government, which in this case is the Land Use Charge Office, under the Ministry of Finance, he is welcome to do so.
“However it should be noted that when the issue was brought to the attention of the Governor, Tuesday evening, he directed the agency to unseal the property and that an additional 14 days grace period be given to Mr. Kalu to pay the said charge.”
It should be emphasised that notices like these are served on defaulting property owners on a regular basis who either comply or contact the Agency to raise any objections they might have to such notice. Mr. Orji Uzor Kalu, like every other citizen, must fulfil his obligation to the State.
Signed:
Aderemi Ibirogba
HON. COMMISSIONER FOR
INFORMATION AND STRATEGY
0 comments:
Post a Comment