The Lagos State Government has advised those interested in purchasing homes from the state government to steer clear of individuals who parade themselves as property agents engaged by the state authority.
Giving the counsel, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Housing, Mr Kamar Owodiran Olowoshago, said the authority has wind of some people defrauding unsuspecting individuals.
He said: “Attention of the Lagos State Government has been drawn to unscrupulous activities of some organizations who parade themselves as agents engaged by the state government to sell/ lease/rent housing units in the state government-owned housing estates thereby defrauding unsuspecting individuals.”
Some of the so-called agents, he said deployed fliers and social media adverts with claims of being in partnership with the state ministry of housing with the intentions of luring unsuspecting individuals into purchasing non-existent properties.
However, the permanent secretary appealed to the public to be on the alert, saying the state government has not appointed or empowered any individual or organization to sell, lease or rent out housing units on its behalf.
He pointed out that the agencies of government that are assigned to this responsibility for the outright purchase of housing units are the Estate Department of the Ministry of Housing, Lagos State, while Lagos State Mortgage Board is for the ownership of the homes and where to obtain certified true copy of the original letter of allocation
Olowoshago also stated that any individual seeking to purchase homes from existing allotees should verify or authenticate the ownership of the homes and obtain the certify true copy of the original letter of allocation at the his office.
According to him, the state government will in no way be liable for any loss incurred through patronage of such fraudsters or impostors.
“Any individual or organization also caught engaging in the criminal act of this deception shall be brought to book” he said.
SOURCE: Tribuneonlineng