Abia State | Government moves to check land encroachment

Determined to end encroachment on acquired land, Abia State Government has constituted two committees to investigate and recover all property illegally encroached upon by its citizens.

The committees named “Title Re-verification Committee” are being assigned to work in Aba and Umuahia Divisions. It has a mandate to verify all those occupying government lands to establish if government’s interest in such property has seized so that the affected lands could be documented for authenticity.

While spelling out the committees’ terms of reference, the State’s Land and Survey Commissioner, Mr. Uche Ihediuwa tasked the members to re-validate government lands that were encroached upon and not take over the property of anyone in the state.

He accused the owners of All Saints College in Ehere, Aba of selling the school’s land and directed the committee for Aba Division to investigate the scenario.

“Government is pained that some of those who are in custody of the returned schools started selling the school lands to land speculators against the agreement they signed.

“The schools were returned to them on an agreement that they redevelop the schools and not sell the schools’ properties. But if they want to raise funds, they must get back to government first for approval before embarking on such ventures”.

The commissioner who decried that over the years, people developed the habit of encroaching into government lands across the state including, Ariaria Market area in Aba and Water Board lands, recalled that government had returned schools to their original owners.

”You should ensure that those whose title deeds are not in order are properly documented”.

He warned the committee members against possible use of their position to witch-hunt people of the state. “You are not expected to use this platform/committee to defraud members of the public,” Ihediuwa stated.