Daily Independent (Lagos)
Akinwunmi King
10 July 2009
Lagos — Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday disagreed, as the House took the Second Reading of a bill for a law to regulate rights and obligations under tenancy agreements.
The bill, which was sent in by the executive arm of government, is also to regulate the relationship between the landlord and the tenant, including procedure for the recovery of premises.
Speaking on the bill, Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, Babatunde Ogala, explained that the bill would provide legal framework to tenancy issue in the state, adding that the bill has the obligations of both the tenant and landlord stated in it.
But Adekunle Ademoye, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Housing, who spoke on demerit of the bill, explained that even if the bill were passed into law, most landlords would not be ready to oblige.
"I am particular about the implementation of this law, because some of our landlords in Lagos may say that it is not the government that built their houses for them".
Some of the lawmakers who also contributed maintained that the workability of the bill is not possible in Nigeria, particularly Lagos State. According to the Chief Whip, Rasak Balogun, "how can you tell a landlord that had suffered a lot to build a house not to collect more than three months advance payment?
"Even the state government is not collecting the land use charge monthly but yearly; so making a law that a landlord should not collect more than three months advance payment is unrealistic. May be we should just step it down," Balogun added.
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For the bill to be sent, the govt has seen the problems tenants in Lagos are facing, throwing out the bill may not be the answer, proffer solutions to help both sides, both the landlords and tenants are nigerians, most of those in the house have travelled abroad and have seen how easy it is to pay for rented flats. As this bill is not about telling the landords to reduce rents but to make it easy for nigerians to pay for rent houses, is it not true also that the landlords have the intention to help tenants beside making… [Read Full Text]
it is so shocking to me to hear reasons why this Bill is not good by elected lawmakers in Lagos State, i am so baffled. Is there no Law that prohibit running someone over with a car ?, Is there no law punish armed robbery, rape ?. Governemnts duty is to reglate, protect and govern, if Government state making excuses that Law will not and cannot be implemented, it is sad. It is only in Nigeria amongst some comity of Nations that still allow its citizens to pay a landlord three years rent at once, this is a country that… [Read Full Text]
For the bills to be sent the govt has seen the problems tenants in Lagos suffer, throwing out the bills may not be the answers, profer solutions to help both sides, both landlords and tenants are nigerians, most of you have travelled abroad and have seen how easy to rent flats, this is not about telling the landords to reduce rents but make it easy for nigerians to rent houses, is it not true also that the landlords have te intention to help tenants beside making money, how do we use of religion