Lawyer Wants Land Use Act Revoked

A Port Harcourt-based law
yer and human rights crusader, Barr. Endurance Akpelu has called for the revocation of the Land Use Act to enable land owners use their land for their business and investment.
Barr. Akpelu, who stated this while speaking with The Tide in Port Harcourt at the weekend expressed regrets that the clause of governor’s consent was hindering business transactions.
He said it was difficult to procure the certificate of occupancy which he described as title document.
According to him, “Financial institutions hardly give out  loans without the C. of O. yet it is difficult to procure the certificate.
Barr  Akpelu also noted that the procurement of the governor’s consent had been the bane of small and medium scale business in the country.
The Port Harcourt lawyer said access to loans was the lever with which the SMEs revolved.
He pointed out that most nations developed through the enabling environment provided for their SMEs.
He remarked that the revocation of the land Use Act would go a long way toward bettering the business environment in the country.
Bar r Akpelu said it was difficult to get the governor’s consent (the certificate of occupancy) and called on state governors to do to well to sign the C.of Os as they were necessary collaterals in business transactions.

Chidi Enyie