Business

‘Less Than 3% Land Ownwers In Nigeria Have C of O’

Published

10 years ago

October 8, 2014

The Surveyor-General of the Federation, Prof. Peter Nwilo, has said that less than three per cent of Nigerians who owned land had Certificate of Occupancy (C of O).
Nwilo, who made this known in Abuja, Monday, attributed the development to poor implementation of the Land Use Act.
He explained that the Act should be properly implemented by state governments to ensure lawful allocation of land, noting that since 1978 when the Act took effect no state had implemented it.
“Not up to three per cent of Nigerians have Certificate of Ownership and it is only when you have a C of O that you know you own a land.
“The Land Use Decree says that the governor of the state holds the land in trust; so, every C of O should be signed by the governor or his representative.
“It is easy to say a law does not work but there is provision for every state to have its committee that deals with allocation of lands; no law is perfect but that law can continue to be improved.
“The Federal Government has set up a committee on land reform.
“What the committee is doing is to bring to the fore the shortcomings of our actions that have caused the Land Use Decree not to work the way it should work,” he said.
He explained that unnecessary processes involved in the acquisition of a C of O hampered development in the country.
He said there was a need for enhanced collaboration among bodies responsible for the implementation of laws governing the allocation of land.
“When you want a C of O, there are so many obstacles, it can take up to three years to get it; it is not supposed to be so.
“What is important is that you show evidence that the land belongs to you and that you have a survey plan that is properly done.
“This affects us in terms of development; the C of O is the basis of everything we do such as establishing industries.
“Where we register land it takes donkeys years and no developer or industrialist will be ready to wait for so long,” Nwilo explained.
He said the committee on land reform was working to ensure that state governments adhered strictly to the provisions of the Land Use Act in enhancing land registration.
Nwilo also said there was a need for professional surveys to be conducted when allocating and acquiring lands.
He said that conducting professional surveys was necessary to accurately map out where land structures should be and to guard against erection of structures inappropriately.
“What survey does is to show exactly where the land is; and a cadastral survey is a survey done to give a person the right to ownership of a piece of land.
“The cadastral map is one thing that is not available in this country; ask state governments how many of the states are mapping, yet we have survey departments doing nothing.
“We have slums because development came without mapping; if there is proper mapping you will know where to place the infrastructure,” he said.
The surveyor-general also emphasised on the need for all stakeholders to implement best practices to promote development.
He said: “If you do not map an area, you cannot manage it.
“With adequate survey and planning or with topographic survey, you will in advance have adequate information to know where to place every structure.”

Customers waiting to collect money from a bank in Dutse, recently. Photo: NAN

Business

Western Marine Command Intensifies Anti-Smuggling Operations … Intercepts N8.75m Worth PMS

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2024

The Tide

For officers and men of the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the battle is not over until smuggling is over.
In the wake of Wednesday May, 8, 2024, the ever vigilant officers, acting on a tip-off, intercepted 177 sacks and 61 kegs of 25 litres containing petroleum products, valued at about N8.750,000million.
The items were intercepted along Isalu Creek, Badagry Waterway en-route Benin Republic.
While briefing newsmen, the Command’s Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, said: “This seizure is most economically significant to the Command at this period of scarcity of Petroleum Products, especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in our cities, and shows the anticipatory posture in our response to economic saboteurs.
“At about 2:330hrs on Wednesday 8th May 2024, while on joint patrol by teams in the Command, credible intelligence was received of the movement of 2 boats laden with what was suspected to be petroleum products concealed in sacks. Upon receipt of the information, the team moved into Isalu creeks, Badagry waterway.
“On sighting the approach of the Officers, the smugglers took to their heels through the shore of the Creek. The loaded boats were then towed to the station at Badagry where preliminary examination was conducted and transferred to Western Marine Command Headquarters, Ibafon, Apapa, Lagos.
“Careful examination at the Command Headquarters revealed that the arrest was found to contain One Hundred and Seventy Seven (177) Sacks and Sixty One (61) Kegs of 25 Litres Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) containing Twelve Thousand Five Hundred (12,500) Liters with a total Duty Paid Value standing at Eight Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N8,750,000) only”.
Bamisaiye noted that the action of the smugglers is a contravention of Section 245 & 254 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 which the service, through Western Marine Command, is responsible for enforcing.
“The Command, under the leadership of Compt. PK Bamisaiye, is poised more than ever to rid the waterways of all acts of smuggling and economy sabotage for the benefit of the growth of economy of Nigeria”, he said
Bamisaiye said so far, no suspect was arrested in the Command’s anti-smuggling operations.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

Business

Illegal PMS Trading Booms In Lagos

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2024

The Tide

Petroleum products being sought by motorists have disappeared from virtually all filling stations within Lagos and its environs, but are now booming in business in retail outlets.
Investigations by our correspondent revealed that while the product could not be got at some of the petrol service stations, activities are in top gear in the local retail outlets where the price has gone beyond the reach of users.
It was also gathered that in some filling stations supplied with the products, preference are often given to retail outlet operators by petrol attendants against the consuming public.
A source, directly involved in the business, said some petrol dealers are cashing on the irregular supply to divert the products to retail outlets where they could easily make their gains.
It was also gathered that some sales representatives in the service of major oil marketing firms indulged in the diversion exercise because of their personal interest.
At the retail outlets a liter goes for N950,00 against the normal N760,to N800 at some stations.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

Business

Customs Board Appoints Five DCGs, Eight ACGs

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2024

The Tide

The Nigeria Customs Service Board (NCSB) has confirmed the appointment of five Deputy Comptroller-Generals (DCGs) and eight Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACGs) of Customs during its 59th regular meeting.
The meeting, chaired by the Honorable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, was held at the Nigeria Customs Service Headquarters in Abuja last Tuesday.
National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, gave details of the confirmed appointments as: O.O. Peters (DCG /Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (rtd); B.M. Jibo (DCG Enforcement Inspection & Investigation); and B.U. Nwanfor (DCG Excise, Free Trade Zone & Industrial Incentives).
Others are: S.A. Bomia (DCG, Commander Training and Doctrine Command); and C.K. Niagwan (DCG, Tariff & Trade).
The Assistant Comptrollers General (ACGs) are: B. Imam (ACG Board); A.A.S. Oloyede (ACG, Trade & Tariff); S.K. Dangaldima (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘B’); A. Abdul Azeez (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘D’); S.A. Yusuf (ACG, Human Resource Development); N.P. Umoh (ACG, Training and Doctrine Command); C.O. Obih (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘C’); and S. Chiroma (ACG, Strategic Research and Policy).
The new appointments, according to the statement, were made to fill the vacancies created by some senior officers who recently retired from the Service, noting that the principles of federal character, seniority and merit guided the appointments approved by the board.
“These appointments are a testament to the officers’ exemplary services and dedication to the Nigeria Customs Service. The NCSB remains committed to providing strategic leadership to ensure effective and efficient service delivery for optimum performance”, he said.
While thanking the retired members of the management for their meritorious services, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, congratulated the newly confirmed officers and charged them to redouble their efforts to ensure the service attains greater heights in its mandates of revenue generation, suppression of smuggling, and trade facilitation amongst others.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos