As part of efforts to boost internally generated revenue in the face of<\/p>\n
dwindling returns from oil, the Delta State government has began reforming
\nits land administration through harnessing and enforcing the payment of
\nall levies and charges.<\/p>\n
Alreading, the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Urban Development is
\nembarking on the gathering of data on all buildings in the major towns and
\nurban centres in the state while the data base will be computerised to
\nremove the human element in the process of assessment for payment of taxes
\nand levies.<\/p>\n
Improving the process of issuing rights of occupancy to remove
\nbureaucratic hurdles and reduce the time taken is high on the agenda as
\nChief Dan Okenyi, Commissioner for Lands and Survey, noted that many
\nhouses in urban centres are yet to be issued with certificates of
\noccupancy.<\/p>\n
Speaking in Sapele while inaugurating a committee to identify and recover
\nundeveloped plots of land in the town and its axis, Okenyi said a
\nconsultant has been contracted to streamline the entire process of land
\nadministration in the state. He stated that if the process of procuring
\ncertificates of occupancy is simplified and more buildings are covered, it
\nwill have a multiplier effect in revenue generation.<\/p>\n
\u201cApart from the payment of requisite charges for the issuance of
\ncertificates of occupancy, a strong data base would have been built for
\nthe government to now enforce the payment of ground rent and other yearly
\ncharges\u201d, Okenyi said.<\/p>\n
He said the target of his Ministry is to become the major revenue earner
\nfor the state after the Delta State Board of Internal Revenue.<\/p>\n
Inaugurating the Land Recovery Committee, Sapele Zone, which is headed by
\nChief Joe Egigba, Okenyi said the major objectives are to improve revenue
\nreceipts from land charges, curb sharp practices that deny government
\nrequisite income and check land speculation as well as institutte a more
\nequitable system of allocation of land.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are to ensure that all undeveloped plots of land that are over two
\nyears since the owners took full possession are identified and recovered.
\nI want to clarify that building perimeter fences around a piece of land
\ndoes not amount to development\u201d, the commissioner charged the committee.<\/p>\n
Other members of the committee are Mr. Precious Obiohoma as secretary,
\nChief William Avwigborighe, Dr. Matthew Okotie, Mr. Kenneth Onojaife Mrs.
\nPauline Avose, Mr. Eddy Ewesuedo and Mr. Francis Pero. They are to submit
\ntheir report within six weeks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As part of efforts to boost internally generated revenue in the face of dwindling returns from oil, the Delta State government has began reforming its land administration through harnessing and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":39208,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45750","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n