I did not disregard you, LBIC MD tells Lagos Assembly

The Managing Director, Lagos State Building Investment Company Plc, Folashade Folivi, on Thursday said she was surprised at being accused of disrespecting the state House of Assembly.
She spoke at the assembly when she appeared before the lawmakers who had summoned her for ignoring one of its committees.
Setonji David, the acting chairman of the House Committee on Urban and Physical Planning, had accused her of disregard for the committee.
David made the accusation while presenting a report on a petition written by the residents of Ogba/Ijaiye Low and Medium Housing Estate.
The residents had petitioned the House over a plan by LBIC to demolish the illegal structures in the estate.
David said Folivi went ahead to demolish the alleged illegal structures within the estate when the committee had called for a stay of action.
Folivi, who answered a barrage of questions from the lawmakers during her appearance, however, said she did not ignore any committee of the House.
She said the company stopped the demolition of shanties as directed by the committee.
The managing director said that LBIC never demolished any house in any estate, but was only interested in clean-up of estates.
Folivi maintained: “We want to restore the aesthetic and economic values of our estates.
“We didn’t demolish any house.
“Crimes are so many in the estates because there is no visibility anymore.
“We don’t demolish houses, we only demolish shanties and illegal structures.
“We have looked at the Master Plan because it is completely distorted.
“We only clean up environmental infractions, we don’t demolish houses.”
Folivi said the company never carried out anything without collaborating with relevant government agencies like the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development as well as the Ministry of the Environment.
On an allegation of illegal rates collection by the officers of the company, Folivi said such had stopped since she became the MD in 2015.
She said anyone with evidence should come up with it and the culprit would be prosecuted.
According to her, the company has 1,295 shareholders, which include Lagos State, and is being regulated by Company and Allied Matters.
Folivi noted that LBIC is a mortgage bank that finances construction of residential houses.
David, however, insisted that the company continued with the demolition in spite of the committee’s order.
The Chairman, House Committee on Housing, Bayo Osinowo, also insisted that Folivi disregarded several calls to her from the Ministry of Lands.
Mudasiru Obasa, the Speaker of the House, eventually stepped down the matter.
Obasa said the House would have to reach a conclusion on the report of the committee on the matter.
Some lawmakers urged the House to sanction Folivi for failing to proffer adequate explanation to serve as a deterrent to others.