The Ogun State Government, on Monday, accused the former Governor of the State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, of using the state’s funds, during his tenure, to establish and run private business concerns.
Two of such concerns are the Golf Resort Hotels, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, and the Gateway Front Foundation.
The state government therefore revoked the ownership of the concerns and converted them to public trusts.
The actions taken by the Ogun State Government were contained in the recommendations and White Paper of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry established in 2011 to review all allocations, acquisitions, sales and concessions of government properties between January 2004 and May 29, 2011.
The committee was headed by the state’s Deputy Governor, Prince Segun Adesegun.
The committee said as part of its recommendations that were adopted by the state government and put in the White Paper on the probe: “The certificates of occupancy dated February 16, 2004 and registered as 4/4/69 according to the Government Gazette is hereby revoked.
“The same goes for Certificate of Occupancy No 025591 and registered as 36/36/649.
“Both allocations will be cancelled forthwith on the grounds that they were made in breach of public trust and the extant laws and regulations.”
Daniel, the Golf Hotels Resort and the GFF, run by Yeye Olufunke Daniel, will not receive any compensation for the forfeiture.
Adesegun’s committee also recommended the revocation of the concession of Olumo Rock to RSL.
The state government approved the position of the committee and directed the Ministry of Culture to take over the management of Olumo rock.
The state government also reversed the concessioning of Gateway Hotels, Ota, to MIDC Limited; Apoje Farms Limited to EGJA-MIRAMAR Limited; Remo Rubber Plantation to Oja Omo Agro Allied Limited; and the Lomiro Oil Plantation to JB Farms.
It said the concessions were not done in the interest of the public.
The state government said: “The present concession agreement is not in the interest of Ogun State, being onerous and one-sided and grossly exploitative and meant only to strip or plunder the state of its precious asset.”
It described the 60-year term granted for the concessioning of Remo Rubber Plantation as “grossly exploitative.”
It then promised to negotiate fresh terms with EGJA-MIRAMAR Limited on Apoje Farms Limited after it must have painstakingly investigated the company’s “antecedents, relationships, financial and professional capabilities.”