URBANIZATION: Kogi govt meets with community stakeholders, urges cooperation in land administration
The Kogi State Bureau of Land and Urban Development has called on stakeholders to work together for effective land management in the state, as the administration of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo gears up to consolidate on the urbanization drive of the immediate past administration of Yahaya Bello especially in Lokoja the state capital.
The Director General of the Bureau, Mr. Samari Abdulmalik Teina made this disclosure on Wednesday, during a stakeholders engagement session between land administrator and community heads in Lokoja.
Teina said the Bureau of Land and Urban Development is the only organ and body of government that reserves the right and power to allocate lands to individuals, group of persons, companies, business and other entities. He urged communities to take the proper protocol of involving the Bureau in the process of land allocation as this will enable the government guide them on proper development of structures.
He added that the Government is not interested in taking the land of any community, rather ensure proper town planning blueprint are followed in the development of respective structures.
The DG, having worked in the Abuja Land Department expressed his experiences on the positive impact of allowing government allocate lands, he emphasized that government knows and respect the fact that lands belongs to the people, and if government must take lands for development purposes, there will be commensurate compensation which depending on the agreement, may not necessarily be monetary.
The Bureau DG cautioned communities within the state’s sixteen kilometers radius against allocating land without government approval to avoid friction. He said when Kogi state was created in 1991, the government enacted an Edict known as the “16 Kilometers Radius”, which covers land areas besides roads within the state capital, stressing that the edict has become of great interest to the government in its urbanization drive. He said the land use act was enacted to enable government make land available to all citizens and to take over some lands for the purpose of development.
He said for the purpose of development, especially in the state capital extending into Adavi, Oworo and other areas, government needs to know the lands that belongs to the state government and individuals using the 16k radious. He added that the only body empowered to allocate land within the 16 Kilometer radius is the Bureau of Lands and Urban Development, stressing that for the sake of proper recording and regularization, communities should allow government to do the allocation of those lands.
He also noted that the Bureau under his watch will not tolerate unlawful harassment of its officiald by some community members. He warned that sanctions await whoever goes against the Land Use Act of the federal government and the Kogi State Law called 16 kilometers radius, assuring that government would not relent in its effort to pay compensations for any land acquired from communities.
“We are not here to take any body’s land , but I am assuring you that any land that government take from any community will be adequately compensated for. So we want the communities and other stakeholders to stop arbitrary allocation of land without government approval .
“Whoever need land should come to the Bureau so that we can have proper plan and good layout that will pave room for development because it is in our plan to effect massive development in Lokoja the state capital.
In their separate remarks, the Olu of Oworo, Alhaji Mohammed Adoga and the Olu of Akpata-Oworo, HRH, Oba Fedrick Durojaye, both described the stakeholders meeting on land administration as timely and urged the Bureau to intervene in land dispute that has become a major threat to development in many communities.
They described land as a precious gift of nature to communities, stressing that “it is imperative to the land owners to guard it jealously
The Royal Fathers appealed to the state government to take development to the rural areas by opening access roads, provision of electricity and other basic necessity of life.
“It is time for communities to allow government presence in their areas for viable development”.
Other community representatives who spoke at the event commended the DG for calling for such a meeting. They urged the government to ensure clarity in its dealings with communities as regards lands allocation, stressing that agreements between government and communities during land allocation must be upheld at all times.
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