The Chief Executive Officer of Winhomes Global Services Limited, Stella Okengwu, has replied to the Minister of Works, David Umahi, over comments made against her company recently.
Umahi, during the inauguration of the Lekki-Epe Deep Seaport road last week, said the company had failed to meet its tax obligations. The minister demanded that the businesswoman show proof that her company actually paid its taxes.
He said, “Winhomes said they have invested N250m, and I wonder why the FIRS chairman is not going after them for tax. You have to go after them, but they didn’t know that we videoed the existing route, and no single structure was there.
“And the woman is making me very popular by going to America, to Canada, and I elected to give her money to go to London because we do not care. We have Mr President who has our back, and we are moving forward.”
However, in a recent video, Okengwu disputed the claims allegedly made by the minister that her firm owned undeveloped land and had failed to meet its tax obligations.
She also asked for a presidential investigation into the demolition of the company’s estate located in Okun Ajah, Lagos State. Okengwu claimed that the property was destroyed despite the company’s full compliance with legal and tax requirements.
She said, “We have invested over ₦250m in the estate and have complied with our tax obligations. We support national development, but it must follow due process and respect the rule of law.”
She explained that the estate is situated between Chainage 16 and 18 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, outside the officially designated right-of-way, according to valid survey records and government approvals in the company’s possession.
Okengwu expressed deep concern over how the demolition was executed, emphasising that her company possessed all necessary documentation before the action was taken against its property.
“Our concern is not just about the demolition, but about the process that led to it. We believe it is important for the government to demonstrate fairness, especially to Nigerians investing in the country,” she said.
Okengwu further urged relevant authorities to independently verify the estate’s legal standing and location in relation to the ongoing highway project. She also called on law enforcement agencies to investigate disturbances that were reported during the demolition operation.
In an appeal to President Bola Tinubu, Okengwu requested a thorough and independent review of the incident as well as the broader implementation of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
“We ask Mr President to intervene, not only to review this specific incident but also to ensure that future developments respect legal ownership and encourage investor confidence,” she said.
