Ogun State moves to review home owners’ charter

 

BY BALOGUN KEHINDE 

Beneficiaries of the Homeowners’ Charter programme have been reassured of government’s resolve to review the initiative for optimal benefit to the people and the state in general.

Secretary to Ogun State Government, Mr. Olatokunbo Talabi, who gave the assurance in Abeokuta, while featuring on a radio programme, said though the initiative was commendable, there was urgent need to re-appraise, identify and proffer lasting solutions to the anomalies of the scheme.

Talabi noted that the Prince Dapo Abiodun led-administration in Ogun State on assumption, appraised the viability of the Homeowners Charter programme and issues were raised, which included lack of reliable database and proper accreditation of beneficiaries.

He informed that the present administration was putting in place a land reform policy and by extension a Bill, to address all the challenges associated with land administration in the State, assuring the general public of prompt intervention.

Speaking on other efforts, the state’s scribe underscored the importance of proper information dissemination of government’s programmes and policies to the people, as well as creating effective feedback mechanism. He stated that machinery was being put in place to establish a dedicated feedback centre, that would allow government to be informed, evaluate and identify the challenges facing the citizenry.

“The importance of proper information dissemination of government’s activities and actions to the people, as well as creating a feedback mechanism cannot be over-emphasised. No system that can be enhanced without feedback mechanism. There is a saying that, what you cannot measure cannot be improved upon and there is no way government want to do something for the people without getting feedback from the people, on how government is fairing”, he stated.

Talabi revealed that the Oko’wo Dapo micro-scheme for petty traders, was not a ‘stomach infrastructure’ initiative, targeted at further impoverishing the people but was conceived to empower the less privileged, thus creating wealth and making them self-reliant.

He advised the beneficiaries of the interest-free loan to be diligent, disciplined and ensure productive engagement, to enable them have more access to the loan scheme.

He noted that the newly introduced Ogun TechHub project was geared towards the youth to tap and harness their potentials for productive technological engagement for the future.

He further revealed that while the educated youth were being considered, other semi-literates would not be left out of the initiative, as those  genuinely interested in agriculture would be apportioned with an hectare of land each, assuring that allowances would be given to them until their first harvest, while off takers would be readily available to buy such products.