Abia State Governor Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, during his meeting with Permanent Secretaries of the various ministries in the state.
30-day cycle: Otti signs 100 Certificates of Occupancy
From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia
The Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has signed 100 Certificates of Occupancy (C of O), the first batch since becoming Governor of the State on May 29, 2023; in line with his administration’s resolve to issue C of O to land owners within 30 days of application.
The Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr. Chaka Chukwumerije, who made this known to newsmen in his office, said that the action was in fulfillment of the Governor’s pledge that the signing of the C/O and other titled documents would be done within a 30-day cycle.
Chukwumerije also announced that as part of the state’s building control measure, a Building Laboratory would soon be established in the state to assist in determining the quality of materials used in erection of buildings at building sites, adding that the goals of the ministry this year including making Abia the best in terms of land administration in the country.
According to the Commissioner, the 100 C/Os were ready for collection; as he revealed that the his ministry was battling to clear about 2,000 backlogs of Certificates of Occupancy which accumulated in the past seven years.
Mr Chukwumerije assured that the new Abia, of which the Lands and Housing was among, would continue to ensure that land transactions, maintenance of public building/housing would not derail from the signature of the regime in the state anchored on transparency, efficiency and value.
He said that part of the year 2024 goal of the Ministry include having the best land administration system in Nigeria; improved service delivery for Abians; revamping of public buildings to look better and have integrity; an increased volume of land transaction.
He added that the ministry expects to issue about a million C/O, having cleaner estate in the state, resolution of the land disputes in Mbaisii and Lodu; eradicating double allocation of one piece of land and revocation of undeveloped lands by their who parade allocation papers without doing the needful and opening such lands up for serious-minded people and investors.
The Commissioner further disclosed that his ministry was strengthening enforcement in terms of building control and commended the Umuahia Capital Development Authority for doing a lot of work in the area of enforcement of to check building collapse and ensuring that people were not building haphazardly.
Recall that the Ministry of Lands and Housing, Abia State, on December 11, 2023 embarked on awareness campaign in Aba and Umuahia to enlighten the populace on the 30-day duration for C of O, the only legal title to land ownership.
