Delta State ministry of lands and survey, on Tuesday, inaugurated a committee with the mandate to recover all undeveloped lands in major cities of the state for relocation to serious developers.
At the inauguration ceremony held in Asaba, the committee members drawn from the three senatorial districts of the state ((Delta North, Delta Central and Delta South) were charged to carry out the task for the benefit of the state. They have one month to submit their report.
Giving the charge, the commissioner for lands and surveys, Kate Onianwa told them to work like they don’t know anybody but should carry out the task within the ambit of the law
According to her, the committee’s terms of reference include, “to physically inspect all state lands in your respective senatorial districts; identify all undeveloped plots of land within the government layouts in your districts.”
“The committee is to compile and submit all undeveloped plots allocated over five years ago to the commissioner and to report any encroachments on state lands irrespective of those behind such acts,”
Onianwa said that the ministry was committed to all-round and even spread of physical development of the entire state. She said the move was parts of her ministry’s efforts at ensuring the actualisation of the ‘Stronger Delta’ vision of the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration.
The state government, she said, acquired lands across the state for various uses such as residential, commercial, religious and industrial development.
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“Exco discovered the subversion and abuse by land speculators and grabbers who chose to hold on to the lands perpetually without any significant development especially in Asaba, Agbor, Sapele, Kwale, Oleh, Ozoro, Oghara, Ughelli and Warri.
“Exco frowned at this counter-productive practice and has thus directed that all lands allocated over the years and are yet to be developed should be identified, revoked and reallocated to more serious developers to the benefit of the entire state.
Chairman of the Delta Central of the committee, Efe Appih thanked the commissioner for finding them worthy to serve. He pledged the committee’s preparedness to deliver on the task as mandated.
