The Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture has paid a total sum of N37.5m as crops compensation to traditional land owning families of Igbodu Village, in Epe area of the state.

During the presentation of cheques to the beneficiaries during a programme organised by the Lagos State Agricultural Land Holdings Authority (ALHA), at the Johnson Agiri, Agricultural Complex, Oko Oba, Agege, the Commissioner of Agriculture, Ms Abisola Olusanya said the acquisition of land was not just for the monetary value, but to also create jobs in the area.

She said the acquisition land programme is tend to make the state a food production hub, a catalyst and purveyor of modern agricultural system, with a dynamic structure that promotes favorable farming, to reduce poverty in line with promoting sustainable development goals of 2030.

Olusanya stressed that the facilitation of the laudable scheme would also help in preventing encroachment by land speculators and boost the morale of beneficiary farmers leading to boost in food production.

The Commissioner also said that the compensation programme would bring synergy between traditional landowners and the state government, to provide peaceful co-existence with the famers and residents.

The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs Olatokunbo Emokpae, said the state government established ALHA – an agency under the purview of the Ministry of Agriculture, to manage and administer designated agricultural land in the state.

“In order to maximize the limited land available in Lagos State for agricultural production to feed over 21 million residents, there is need to effectively manage the available lands for food sufficiency.”

She said the Agric land holdings authority officers have painstakingly worked to capture the rightful owners of the land and have properly enumerated the crops on the land, in order to ensure that all stakeholders are fairly compensated.

“This event is a demonstration of the goodwill and commitment of the present administration under the leadership of Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu as one of the THEMEs agenda to good governance and equity among her citizens.”

The General Manager of ALHA, Mr. Oladapo Are, said state government has compensated land owners to the tune of over N70m in two years – over N37.5m this year and 38m in 2021.