Fear Of Intimidation, Victimisation Spread As Delta State Set Up Committee To Identify Undeveloped Plots Of Land For Govt To “Deserving People”

There is an emerging fear in Delta state.

And it is borne out of strong possibility of loss of land.

Information filtering in revealed the government of the state through the action of the commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Development Chief Dan Okenyi has set up a committee to identify undeveloped plots of land.

The area of interest is listed as ‘’core area of Asaba’’.

The intention is to use the report of the committee expected to work for a month to recover and re allocate such identified plots of land to individuals labelled ‘’deserving’’ Gov Ifeanyi Okowa

Societynowng.com learnt underground rumour of the development before the official inauguration of the committee on Monday December 7 2015 had sparked off fear of looming intimidation and victimisation.
The belief is said to be that behind the flowery of the words of decorating the stated fine intentions of the government, certain plots of land are already targeted and because the owners are seen as not cooperative the instrument of government is needed to forcefully pierce them away from their property.

There are also added claims that the targeted plots belong to people on the other side of the politics of the government of the state – whether in or out of the same political party.
Revelation in a report by vanguard has it that Okenyi said government will withdraw the Certificates of Occupancy for such lands and re-allocate them to Deltans who are yet to benefit from previous allocations and are willing to promptly develop the lands after the Committee submitted it’s report.

The commissioner further revealed the seriousness of the government of Govenor Ifeanyi Okowa on the issue based on the reasons provided for the step

He said that past administrations in the state had allocated plots of land to individuals and corporate organisations with the expectation that they would promptly proceed to develop their plots and spur the development of Asaba.

According to him, “While many beneficiaries of the allocations have gone ahead to develop their property, a significant number of recipients have failed to fulfill their obligations.

“The Core Area of Asaba is now dotted with swathes of undeveloped plots. The plots have also become unsightly and negate government’s desire of making Asaba one of the fastest developing state capitals in the country. Some now pose security risk as they have become operational bases for criminals and other unscrupulous people.”

According to him, under the terms of the allocation of lands, beneficiaries were expected to develop such plots within two years of taking possession. “However, some of the plots have remained undeveloped for more than five years while some beneficiaries simply fenced their plots and wrongly assumed that they had secured them. I hereby warn all owners of undeveloped plots that building walls around such plots do not amount to development neither have they secured the plots.”