Ogun estates dispute: Adron Homes defends management structure

Adron Homes and Properties Limited has defended its management structure for its estates in Shimawa, Ogun State, amid a dispute with residents over service charges, electricity supply and the administration of shared facilities.

The company said its estate management framework was designed to ensure orderly communities, protect property investments and maintain common facilities, insisting that residents were bound by the agreements and regulations governing the estates.

The company stated this in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Directorate of Estates and Properties and signed by its Director-General, Tunji Adegbite.

The statement followed a PUNCH Metro report on November 4 in which residents of five estates in Shimawa accused the company of imposing service charges, withholding land title documents and harassing property owners.

The residents, including landlords in the City of David, Cape Town, Golf, Treasure Park and Gardens Phase 1, and Downtown estates, had called for greater involvement in estate management and transparent negotiations over service charges and electricity tariffs.

Speaking for the residents, the Chairman of the Cape Town Estate Landlord and Tenant Association, Olalekan Agboke, alleged that Adron Homes had refused to recognise existing residents’ associations and instead established a new association, AHPORA, which he claimed residents were being compelled to join.

Agboke also alleged that some property owners had yet to receive valid title documents, while others faced threats of harassment and intimidation over their refusal to join the proposed association.

On electricity supply, the residents claimed that the company increased the tariff from N220 to N278 per kilowatt-hour without signing a service-level agreement guaranteeing at least 21 hours of daily power supply.

However, responding to the allegations, Adron Homes said the Deed of Estate Restrictions and Estate Rules and Regulations issued to residents clearly stipulated their obligations regarding property use, building control, development, environmental sanitation, security and general conduct.

The company also accused some residents of forming what it described as an “illegal association” in an attempt to take over the management of the estates, collect dues and install unauthorised private security outfits.

It alleged that members of the group restricted access to the estates and charged residents fees for renting out their properties, adding that some residents who refused to comply with the group’s directives were harassed and intimidated.

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The statement read, “In a clandestine bid to take over the management and running of the estates, a few residents formed an illegal association and started collecting dues and charges from co-residents.

“They surreptitiously installed unauthorised private security outfits and, through that, restricted access to the estates for fellow residents.”

The company said it had reported the matter to the appropriate authorities and instituted court proceedings to resolve the dispute, adding that the steps were aimed at maintaining peace and peaceful coexistence within the estates.

It said, “Adron Homes, within the ambit of the law, reported the situation to the necessary authorities and has also instituted court proceedings to resolve the matter in a bid to maintain the peaceful coexistence of everyone living within its estates.”

The company maintained that residents’ associations were recognised primarily as platforms for social interaction and community engagement, while the collection of estate-related dues and charges remained the responsibility of the promoter, operator and developer through its authorised directorates and agents.

Adron Homes also insisted that it remained responsible for the security and maintenance of common areas, alleging that some residents had refused to pay estate dues and charges stipulated in the agreements they signed.

The company said it had invested substantial resources in infrastructure, recreational facilities, security, landscaping and other amenities before the first residents moved into the estates.

It urged residents to familiarise themselves with the estate regulations, use common facilities responsibly and channel complaints and enquiries through its designated communication channels.

Adron Homes said its responsibilities extended beyond providing housing to developing communities supported by infrastructure, security and effective administration.

The company reaffirmed its commitment to residents’ welfare and peaceful coexistence, saying it would continue to improve service delivery and maintain sustainable residential communities.

The statement concluded, “Adron Homes reaffirmed its commitment to continuous improvement, quality service delivery and residents’ satisfaction, assuring them all that the development of sustainable communities remains central to its corporate mission.”