As part of efforts to address various instances of conflicting roles in land administration, the Federal Government has initiated a high-level forum to provide clear interpretation of the Land Use Act.
The government noted that the forum, which had in attendance representatives of all State Governments, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), will not only provide an opportunity for all stakeholders to come up with modalities for efficient and effective land administration and management but will largely provide interpretation to the misconstrued Land Use Act.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Bashir Alkali, made this known during the 27th Conference of Directors of Lands in Federal and State Ministries, Departments and Agencies, organised by the ministry in Abuja, with the theme “The Land Use Act and Land Management Responsibilities of the Federating Units.”
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Represented by a Director at the ministry, Chukwuwike Uzo, he said: “We must put the interests and needs of millions of Nigerians in focus and the government in particular on whose behalf you perform your professional duties, knowing that land is central to the overall existence of our country.”
Urging the participants to examine the land administration/management issues under the Land Use Act, he said: “We must come up with solutions aimed at eliminating areas of conflict among the operators in the three-tier federation.”
The Director of Lands and Housing Development Department of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Godwin Ityoachimin said: “It has been extremely challenging relating with the sub-national levels of government on issues of Land Administration, Acquisition and Compensation, and most recently resumption of Federal Government Lands by States and Local Governments, Some States and Local Governments have taken-over Federal Government Lands without due process and near total disregard to the rights of the Federal Government on such lands.
“The combined effect of these actions is a plethora of conflicts, leading to friction in the administration of such lands with the state governments and Local Governments. This also leads to total frustration of federal government projects in the states and local governments.”