By Tony Adibe
The Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), in the state, Chief Frank Nweke Jr, has said that, if elected into office next year, his administration would introduce a technology-enabled Land Administration and Management System to ensure land ownership is properly monitored and business men and women can enjoy greater ease of doing business in the state.
Chief Nweke’s assurance came against the background of a series of allegations and counter accusations of land grabbing that rocked the administration and management of land in Enugu State over time, particularly a situation in which everything about land is said to rest on the sole approval of the Governor.
The politician disclosed this while addressing guests at this year’s edition of the Pacesetter Frontier Discourse Public Lecture and Awards held weekend in Enugu. Nweke made known his views about the current challenges in accessing Certificates of Ownership or a Governor’s Consent to perfect land purchases, and alluded to the current process that depends solely on the governor for approvals.
He said: “I am not going to sell lands in my office as governor. This is because I will have competent people who will do it in line with the processes we set up,” adding that landowners will be made public through the digitization of the Land Registry.
According to the former Minister of Information, “We will immediately deal with the regulatory and judicial bottlenecks that currently exist, digitising the lands registry and publishing land ownership through a Lands Administration Management System (LAMS). We will ensure that a C-of-O or Governor’s consent is obtainable in 7 to 10 business days.”
“Through the use of technology, global best practice processes, and radical transparency, my administration will efficiently and transparently administer the land as our most valuable resource.
“The GIS Land Administration System will also help us deliver on another cardinal plan: to improve urban planning and infrastructure development and support environmental management in Enugu state.” he said.
