Enugu govt cuts land document fees by 50 per cent

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has approved a 50 per cent reduction in fees for processing Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) and other land documents.

Managing Director, Enugu State Geographic Information System (ENGIS), Chiwetalu Nwatu,   said the move aims to empower landowners, attract investment, and ensure all properties in the state are properly documented.

The discount, he said, started October 15 and will last for 45 days. According to him this will allow landowners to process titles at half the usual cost, Nwatu added that the initiative targets low-income earners and unregistered landowners who previously could not afford documentation.

He noted that C of O’s are now processed within 48 to 72 hours, thanks to full digitisation of land services, which has improved transparency and eliminated delays.

In a related development a Don from the University of Ilorin, Professor Emmanuel Ojo called for the repeal of the Land Use Act, to achieve true federalism. He lamented that the Act centralizes control of natural wealth.The Land Use Act is a 1978 law in Nigeria that vests all land in each state in the governor, who holds it in trust for the people. It aims to simplify land ownership, ensure equitable distribution, and centralize administration, with the government granting individuals and corporations a “right of occupancy” rather than full ownership.

Individuals are issued a Certificate of Occupancy for their right to occupy land, and the government can revoke these rights for public purposes, though compensation for improvements is required.

The Act gives governors control over land allocation in urban areas and local governments control over non-urban areas. A governor can revoke land rights for public purposes, but must provide compensation for the value of improvements made to the land which they hardly do.

He suggested that while royalties from solid minerals should go to the federal purse, states should manage the resources within their boundaries. According to him, a restructured federal system is essential for national growth, efficiency, and unity.

Ojo also advocated the revival of local governments, a fairer revenue allocation formula, and citizenship rights for residents who have lived in any state for at least ten years.

He called on the Federal Government to strengthen the federal character principle, extend it to infrastructure distribution, and begin work on a new constitution that truly reflects the people’s will. “The present constitution,” he said, “is a legacy of military rule and cannot deliver genuine federalism.”

Enugu govt cuts land document fees by 50 per cent - The Nation Newspaper