04/03/2022
LAGOS AG&PT RESTATES ITS MANDATE OF SECURING JUSTICE FOR LAGOS RESIDENTS
The Administrator-General and Public Trustee, Lagos State, Mrs. Omotola Rotimi has restated the commitment of her Office towards ensuring that everyone, particularly Lagos residents, who visits to the Office of the Administrator-General and Public Trustee (AG&PT) gets justice.
Mrs. Rotimi gave this assurance on Friday, 4th March, 2022, during the broadcast of an interview she granted to the City of Lagos TV Show on NTA2 Lagos as well as the YouTube channel of The City of Lagos TV Show.
The Administrator-General and Public Trustee stated that the vision of the agency is to have an Office that is so efficient, reliable and trust worthy to extent of guaranteeing the actualization of being the public trustee of choice and excellence not only in Nigeria but beyond the shores of the country.
Highlighting some major functions of the Office, Mrs. Rotimi stated that the Office is a sole corporate, meaning it is a legal entity that can sue and be sued.
“The major functions of the Office are actually to administer and manage the estates of deceased people, especially the people that died intestate (without making a Will). However, that does not rule out those that died testate (leaving a Will) because the Office also represents and defends estates in court maters where the Office has been included as a party or where the court asks the Office to be a party”. She stated.
“The Office also administer equitable sharing and partitioning of estates of deceased persons; obtain Letters of Administrations (L. As) in cases where a deceased died intestate and the family needs to access funds in the bank, for instance; act as receiver in the administration of estates to ensure the recovery of all estates that belong to the deceased person(s); and also settle justified claims, i.e., if a deceased person is owing”. She added.
Mrs. Rotimi further explained that in situations where a deceased person has properties in other States and countries, the Office ensures the resealing of L. As, hence, there is no need to obtain new L. As in such places; and that the Office also ensure payment of death benefits to civil/public servants who died in active service.
Speaking on the success rate and achievements of the agency, the AG&PT noted that the Office has close to 10,000 cases under its management, out of which as at last year, 5,000 had been successfully completed.
According to her, “The public response to the services of the Office has been impressive because they are aware that the agency is the Sole Office that has been empowered to manage the estates of deceased people in the State.
“Most of the people that come here are less privileged and vulnerable because they couldn’t afford the services of private lawyers. There are cases of underaged writing petitions to the Office to intervene in their matters as well, and the Office steps in to act as guidance to them”. She said.
Mrs. Rotimi also revealed that in the year 2021, the Office achieved a revenue generation performance of over 400%; moved from the Ministry of Justice building in Alausa to a larger and befitting office space to ensure diligent delivery of services to the residents of the State; managed and administered estates professionally; and obtained L. As for beneficiaries to quickly access funds to either ensure the burial of their deceased persons or get them economically empowered.
While appreciating Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for ensuring the delivery of seamless judicial services to all Lagos residents irrespective of status, class or creed through the blueprints of the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda, where services rendered by the Office falls under the last “S”, which stands for “Security and Governance”, Mrs. Rotimi averred that the year 2022 would witness massive grassroot public awareness and sensitization programmes by the Office; sustenance of the collaboration with other agencies and institutions like the Probate Registry in the Lagos State High Court, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Domestic and Sexual Violence Unit and the Police; ensuring that estates are properly managed to reflect market value and suitable for human habitation; and lastly surpassing last year’s revenue generation performance.
Recall that the AG&PT had recently embarked on a similar familiarization and sensitization visit to Radio Lagos/Eko FM, where she featured on a programme known as “JoliJoli” to further enlighten and sensitized residents of the State on the activities, achievements and mandates of the Office.
Asanbe Gaffar Oladayo
Senior Public Affairs Officer
AG&PT
4th March, 2022.
