The Rivers State Ministry of Lands and Survey says it will not tolerate Land Developers and Agents in the state who do not follow the due process of large land purchase from communities before doing business with such lands.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry , Alozie Nwala gave the warning when the Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers led by its Chairman Hamilton Odom paid him a courtesy visit as part of the institution’s end of year activities.
Nwala lamented that the greed of some land agents who do business with community land property without full payment has been a major factor of land conflict in the state.
He said “These Land Agents will buy large quantity of land from different communities and now put back the land in the market meanwhile the native owners have not been paid completely, so what they do is to sell and out of the proceeds, they pay back the native owners. This means they are robbing the native owners! In some cases when the native owners are aware, they fall back to their land.Because you cannot use their wealth to create wealth for yourself. That is part of land dispute and conflict, especially in the native locations.
“We are insisting that anybody that is doing large purchase of land in terms of sight and service should do the necessary things: buy the land from the natives, apply C of O, get certificate of occupancy duly registered. Then you can now sell to the general public.”
He advised the public not to purchase land property without a Title.
Nwala, however, said the ministry will work with the Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers and come up with a Land Administration Policy to the House of Assembly for approval.
He said, this, when approved ,will pave way for a smooth relationship with the ministry and the Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers.
On his part, Chairman of the Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Rivers State Branch, Hamilton Odom said the Institution has set up a Land Conflict committee to tackle the rising land conflict issues in the state. He said the need for a proper land administration policy cannot be over emphasized as this will reduce the rising cases of land conflict in the state.
Other activities to mark the end of year activities of the Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers includes, Charity walk on Friday 4th December from Rumuokwuta Girls Secondary School by 9am, Dinner/Inauguration of new EXCO on Saturday 5th December and a Thanksgiving mass at Holy Family Catholic Church Off 19 Nvuigwe Road, Woji, on the 6th of Decmber 2020.
