Corruption: Ogun Revokes Daniel’s Ownership of Hotel, GFF - The Will.

ABEOKUTA, February 28, (THEWILL) – Under-pressure erstwhile governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel on Monday lost ownership rights to important concerns of his, following the decision of the state government to implement the recommendations of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry inaugurated last year to review all allocations, acquisitions, sales and concessions of government properties between January 2004 and May 29, 2011.

Submitting its first white paper since beginning its controversial task, the committee – chaired by the deputy governor of the state, Prince Segun Adesegun – said it had established that certain businesses known to belong to the former governor were financed with state resources. Notably, it revoked the ownership of the stately Golf Resort Hotels at Oke-Mosan as well as the Gateway Front Foundation. The State, therefore, withdrew the certificates of occupancy for the Hotels and the Foundation, saying it shall henceforth hold the affected properties in trust for the public property.

“The certificates of occupancy dated February 16, 2004 and registered as 4/4/69 according to the Government Gazette is hereby revoked,” the white paper read. “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.”

Neither the former governor, the Gateway Front Foundation or the Golf Resort Hotels will receive any form of compensation from the government until the completion of the Commission’s findings.

Also, the Commission recommended the revocation of the concession of Olumo Rock to RSL, directing the Ministry of Culture to take over its management. There were similar revocations for Gateway Hotels, Ota, conceded to MIDC Ltd, Apoje Farms conceded to EGJA-MIRAMAR Ltd, Remo Rubber Plantation conceded to Oja Omo Agro Allied Limited, and the Lomiro Oil Plantation conceded to JB Farms, on the basis that they were not done in public interest.

“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,” a government statement observed.

It dubbed the 60-year term granted for the concessionaire of Remo Rubber Plantation “grossly exploitative,” and also promised to negotiate fresh terms with the concessionaire of Apoje Farms after painstakingly investigating its “antecedents, relationships, financial and professional capabilities.”