A Transparent Land Ballot Exercise Puts Smiles On Faces Of Winners

The Greater Port
Harcourt ballot for land allocation in Phase 1A of the New City has come and gone, but its memories remain as both winners and losers went home happy. Commendations are pouring in from many quarters because of the transparent nature of the entire process.
More than 1,000 persons from different walks of life assembled at the Indoor Sports Hall of Chief Adokiye Amiesimaka Sports Complex.  Among them were sceptics, this group got the greatest shocker as they were the ones who confessed to the glaring transparency of the process.
For Surveyor Kingsley Ordu, one of the applicants who emerged the first winner, it was a big surprise! He was absent when the event began, as he was in Nihi, in Etche LGA, attending the funeral of a dear friend, a Lawyer, who was buried that morning, when he received a telephone call to join the group of 114 persons who had the good fortune of winning the ballot. Mr. Adeshola Ademola , from Osun State and Mrs. Ngozi Vivian, said they applied like every other applicant with their Tax Clearance Certificate, they reaffirmed that the whole exercise was free, fair and transparent.
The Administrator of Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority, Dame Aleruchi Cookey-Gam said the exercise was successful because of the open manner it was conducted and the Committee members who were persons of unquestionable integrity, adding that those who emerged winners merited it, having fulfilled the requirements set by the Board.
Mrs Cookey-Gam stated that names of all successful applicants would be published in select local and national dailies, emphasizing that Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority will continue to approve building plans and regulate development in the New City. She advised those on reserve list to keep faith as the Authority will contact them in the event of default on the part of the winners.
In his opening remarks, the Chairman, GPHCDA Land Allocation Open Ballot Committee, Rev. Precious Omuku, said the exercise will draw winners in four categories – Professional/Business Class, Non-Indigenes, Political Class/Office Holders as well as Civil/Public Servants. Rev. Omuku said that 34 plots were available for the professional/ business Class, 34, for political Class/Office Holders, 27 for Civil/Public servants and 19 for the non-indigenes, totalling 114 plots to be balloted.
Other members of the commmittee were Mr. Franklin Nlerum, the Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement, Mrs Esther Anucha,  the immediate past  Head of Service of Rivers State,  Donu Kogbara, an international media consultant and  columnist in the Vanguard Newspaper and Mrs Aleruchi Cookey-Gam.
On his part, the Chairman of the Board of Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority, Arch. Tonye Cole, in his vote of thanks, pointed out that integrity was the vehicle that drove the process.  “The exclusion of Board Members, Staff and their immediate families from participating in this exercise was a great sacrifice to ensure that transparency wins”.
While commending participants for their mature conduct and also members of the Open Ballot Committee for their relentless efforts, the Chairman appealed to the public to support leaders who mean well for the people by building a New City.
The Governor, represented by the State Commissioner for Empowerment and Employment Generation, Dr. Ipalibo Harry commended the Authority for conducting a transparent balloting exercise. He charged winners of the exercise to hasten-up and pay for their plots as allotted.
The Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority in April 2014 publicly announced the sale of serviced plots strictly for residential use in the Low Density Area of the New City and submission of application forms closed on the 16th of May 2014.
As we say very big congratulations to the winners, the Authority, considers immediate development a priority; land banking will not be encouraged; a substantial level of development within 18 months of allocation is expected. We expect developers to comply with development regulations so that the objective of the New City will not be defeated. Let us all join hands in reawakening the Garden City!

L-R: Chairman, Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority (GPHCDA) Land Allocation Open Ballot Committee, Rev Precious Onuku, Administrator, GPHCDA, Dame Aleruchi Cookey-Gam, former Head of Service, Rivers State, Mrs Esther Anucha and Director-General, Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement, Mr. Franklin Nlerum, during the GPHCDA’s land ballot exercise in Port Harcourt, recently.

Dagogo Josiah and Prince Ikeokwu