Anambra Threatens To Revoke Undeveloped Plots

The Anambra State government has threatened to revoke allocation of more than 400 undeveloped plots in Awka, the state capital and the commercial city of Onitsha.

The Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Town Planning, Mr Okoli Akirika gave the warning in Awka when he toured the plots allocated by the state government 15 years ago.

According to him, the affected plots are in Agu-Awka Layout, Abuja Phase One, Ikenga Layout and Real Estate, all in Awka, and the Akpaka layout in Onitsha.

Akirika said that the owners were yet to develop the plots 15 years after their allocation and in spite of government’s provision of access roads and electricity.

He said that more than 100 plots each at Akpaka Layout, Onitsha, Agu-Awka, Abuja Phase One and Ikenga, all in Awka, were still in their original state.

“We want to discourage acts of acquiring government property without developing them.

“There is no reason why anyone will leave his plot of land to lie fallow for more than 15 years when citizens and civil servants are looking for places to build their homes.

“The unmerited grace we extended to plot owners at Akpaka and Agu-Awka has expired.

“The memo is before the governor, and all we are doing is following due process to have the plots revoked.

“By Dec. 31, all undeveloped allocations in Ikenga Layout, Real Estate, Abuja phase one as well as allottees who have failed in payments would have their plots revoked,” the commissioner said.