The rapid development of Owerri Capital Territory and other parts of State has been attributed to effective and efficient management of land resources.
Estate Surveyor Dominic Nwaiwu, the Director of Land in the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Urban Development, stated this while receiving the Chairman and members of the State Committee on Media and Publicity on Lands to his office.
ESV Nwaiwu explained that before the enactment of the Land Use Act, it was difficult for government to acquire land from the natives for its development purposes.
According to him, it is by acquiring land that government can provide numerous infrastructural facilities such as road, airports, schools, hospitals, prisons, housing estates and other public institutions, noting, “it is only in Imo State that as a matter of policy, government in addition to monetary compensation allocates compensatory plots to original land owners to give them a sense of belonging and to carry them along”.
While commending the State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and the Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations) and Chairman, Bureau for Lands for appointing seasoned Media professionals to the Committee on Media and Publicity on Land to sensitize the public on issues of land administration and transaction, the Land Director added that prior to the current administration, there were over thirty moribund layouts that were inaccessible and unpaid compensation while as at today, the said areas have been opened up with over one-point-five billion Naira (N1.5b)paid as compensation to land owners.
Earlier in his speech, the Chairman Committee on Media and Publicity of Burea for Lands, Chief Jerry Osuji, noted with delight the giant strides already made by the media team which according to him, have begun to yield positive results.
Chief Osuji explained that the Committee in carrying out its assignment has continued to use diverse media platforms including mobile public address system and radio/TV jingles to sensitize the public.
In his remark, the Secretary of the Committee, Dr. Joseph Aniemeka Nwachukwu, pledged the unalloyed loyalty of the Committee to the Kingsley Uju-led Management.
Also present on the occasion were Mrs. Vera Ugboaja and Ekwueme Kelvin Kemas – all members of the Committee.
