Planned sale of Edo House in Lagos sparks controversy

The Edo State Government's plan to sell Edo House, its liaison office in Victoria Island, Lagos, has ignited controversy, echoing past attempts that were previously abandoned due to opposition.

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Yes, we just have a building, and we are losing money. Even the rent, we are not collecting because the previous administration collected rents upfront for many years.

The current administration, led by Governor Monday Okpebholo, intends to use the proceeds from the sale to finance the construction of a new International Conference Centre on the Garrick Memorial School grounds in Benin City. Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, stated that the property has become a financial burden, incurring significant maintenance costs without generating revenue, especially since previous rents were collected upfront by prior administrations.

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We will sell it and use the proceeds to build an international conference centre at the Garrick Memorial School grounds in Benin City. The conference centre will create employment opportunities and generate revenue for the government. It will serve Edo people better.

However, the decision has drawn sharp criticism from political leaders, professionals, and civil society organizations. They argue that Edo House is more than just an office; it is a "historic public inheritance" and one of the state's most valuable assets outside Edo. Former Managing Director of the Edo Development and Property Agency, Dr. Pedro Obaseki, urged the governor to reconsider, suggesting that the property, once sold, can never be recovered. He proposed exploring options for redevelopment and commercialization instead of outright disposal.

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Edo House is not an ordinary property. It is one of Edo’s most valuable assets outside the state. Once sold, it can never be recovered. Government should explore ways of redeveloping and commercialising the property instead of disposing of it.

Concerned citizens and groups echo these sentiments, warning that selling a strategic public asset for short-term financial gain would be detrimental to future generations. They advocate for preserving such prime properties and seeking alternative funding sources for new projects, emphasizing that Edo House represents a permanent asset that should be made productive rather than sold off.

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Strategic public assets should be preserved and made productive, not sold off. Government should seek alternative funding sources instead of disposing of one of Edo’s prime properties in Lagos.