Stakeholders advocate repeal of Land Use Act

Stakeholders in the built environment have called for a repeal of the Land Use Act saying it has become a tool of oppression by serving politicians.

They said the 1976 Act was archaic and detrimental to the smooth and rapid development of the nation and its economy.

Their reaction followed the perceived excessive use of power by state governors in controlling land administration and its ripple effect on the nation’s infrastructure.

Recently, the Rivers State Government revoked the Certificate of Occupancy of a piece of land allocated to former Senator Lee Maeba, at the Golf Course axis of Government Reserve Area in Port Harcourt.

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The revocation order contained in a letter addressed to Senator Maeba on November 2, 2022, read, “I am directed to inform you that your allocation at Plot 20A Golf Course Layout, old GRA, Port Harcourt, has been cancelled as shown on the attached Rivers State Official Gazette No. 22 Vol. 58, dated September 20, 2022.”

Speaking at the recent seminar of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Abuja Branch, a participant, Adamu Kasimu, stated that a complete reform would effectively resolve land administration issues.

He said, “The basic challenge is the implementation of the Land Use Act because the Act itself has not been fully implemented. Until we change it, there won’t be any significant changes in land administration.

“A complete reform is needed for land administration, right from the ownership, acquisition and all sectors.”

Raising one of the issues, Kasimu said, “The Land Use Act empowers the governor of a state to fix rent called ground rent. The law doesn’t say how this should be done, so if you have a governor as an enemy, he can fix any amount that you can’t pay and use that to demolish your house.

“A certain politician did that to his opposition in Kaduna State where he increased the ground rent to N200m, requested that payment be made in two weeks, and demolished the house after the deadline elapsed.”