By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Director/HOD, Lands and Development Department, ESV. Godwin Ityoachimin has disclosed that many abuses of powers under the Land Use Act are common place in our land governance process at the various levels of government.
He stated this during the 27th Conference of Directors of Lands in the Federal, States, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), recently in Abuja, with the themed “The Land Use Act and Land Management Responsibilities of the Federating Units”.
Speaking in his keynote address,ESV Ityoachimin said the theme for this conference is apt saying that, “Iam was so pleased because this Conference is organized around a theme that has long been agitated in my mind in the recent past”.
He explained that “ As Director of Lands at the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, it has been extremely challenging relating with the sub-national levels of government on issues of Land Administration, Acquisition and Compensation .
“And of most recent 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”.
He said the combined effect of these actions is a plethora of conflicts that is 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.
“The Socio-political and economic implication of this cannot be over emphasized,”he said .
He lamented “I have been very worried lately because at various times during official engagements, well placed and responsible officials of government particularly at the State and Local Levels make comments on land issues that are misleading and not in line with the intendment of the Land Use Act.”
He give instances of leading comments such as Land in the state is owned by the governor of the state.
“This is completely misleading and not the correct intent of the Land Use Act.”
He emphasized that “The powers of the governor under the Act is that of a trustee, and trusteeship does not amount to ownership nor it is equal or directly proportional thereto.
“This misconception is at the centre of major challenges, conflicts we face in our relationship with the state Governments in the course of our official engagements”.
The Director noted that, Federal Government does not own land in the state.
“Nothing can be far from the truth. Federal Government as a corporate entity has every right constitutionally to own and hold land,to own and manage properties and that is exactly what this Ministry does, also this is the implication of Section 28(26) and Section 51(2) of the Land Use Act. 49”.
He stated that “Lately efforts of the federal government in providing housing and infrastructure have been thoroughly impaired by what I may describe as illegal actions of state officials.
“Lands vested in the federal government have been willfully taken over by state governments without following due process, even where it is evident that such lands were properly acquired and compensation fully paid”, ESV Ityoachimin said.
He maintained that federal government housing programmes have been pulled down by state authorities without notice and in some cases forceful resumption of the land by state governments.
He called on the stakeholders under this forum to critically examine the theme of this year’s conference with its sub-themes to clearly delineate the Powers and responsibilities of the Federal, States and Local Governments to improve land management processes.
He said”Our collective resolve should be aimed at eliminating areas of conflict and to provide policy guidelines in attaining optimal performance and effective land administration process for national economic development, wealth creation and empowerment of Nigerians”.
“I assure you that this Ministry as sector champions, shall continue to safeguard the land governance process and lead the needed land reforms for the overall interest of the national economy and well being of our people”, he said .
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