By Ntem Kris
....With Mr. Casmir Obok Elom Emerging As Chairman And Mr. Obase Ekaba As Director/Secretary Of The Committee In Line With The Land Use Act Of 1978
Since the coming to effect of the Land Use Act in 1978, all Land comprised in each State has come under the control and management of the Governor of that State. By section 2 (2) of the enabling law, that is the Land Use Act, it is provided that the Land Use Act and Allocation Committee shall be established and will carry out certain responsibilities.
In fulfilment of this, the State Governor Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade (CON) has through the Honorable Commissioner for Lands and Housing Prof. John O. Inyang inaugurated the Land Use Act and Allocation Committee for the State on Friday the 28th day of October, 2022. The Commissioner for Lands and Housing Prof. Inyang during the inauguration charged the Committee to work effectively to ensure that they deliver on the mandate/responsibility given to them by the State Governor.
"Today His Excellency Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade (CON) has approved the reconstitution of the Land Use Act and Allocation Committee in the State and has given you all the mandate to work judiciously to ensure that the positivity of that responsibility is being achieved. I therefore charge every member of the committee to work hard and live up to expectations having in mind that you are all here to serve Cross Riverians with all amount of fairness and equality without any fear of favor. It is a task that requires fairness, care, understanding, transparency, and a high level of sincerity, that's the most reasons why we carefully appointed you all as a result of your positive antecedents, hard work and diligence in every responsibilities you've handled before now. You have every support of His Excellency to carryout this duty."
The Land Use Act and Allocation Committee is saddled with the following responsibilities; Advise the Governor on matters concerned with the management of Land in Urban Areas of the State, advise the Governor on matters concerned with the resettlement of persons displaced from their abode by the revocation of their rights of occupancy on the ground of overriding public interest and determine disputes that may arise as the amount of compensation payable for the improvement on Land upon revocation.
The primary purpose of this committee is therefore to facilitate the availability of Land for development to all persons, individuals, cooperate bodies, institutions and government with the aim of bringing about a rapid social change in the State.
The Committee which was inaugurated on Friday the 28th day of October by the Commissioner for Lands Prof. John O. Inyang on behalf of His Excellency, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade (CON) has the following as members;
*Mr Casmir Obok Elom - Chairman
*Barr G.I. Churchill - Member
*Esv. Sunday M Ebop - Member
*Esv. Martins Ugah - Member
*Ele Edward Bassey - Member
*Daniel Obono Ofem - Member
*Lady Mercy Owor - Member
*Dr Agbo James Etim - Member
*Mrs Glory Igile - Member
*Francis Nkanu U. - Member
*Arikpo Ubi Arikpo - Member
*Obase Ekaba M. - Director/Secretary of the Committee with the State's Director of Lands, the State's Surveyor General and the State's Director of Town Planning to all serve as Ex-officio Members of the Committee.
During the official inauguration of the Committee, the Oath of office was administered by Barr. Tony Effiom of the Ministry of Justice on behalf of the State's Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Barr. Tanko Ashang (SAN).
It is worthy of note that in Urban Areas, all Lands is been controlled and managed by the Governor on the advice of the above Committee to have a clear understanding of their functions if they are to discharge their duties effectively. It is expected that in the discharge of their functions, the committee receives and processes applications for the issuance of Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), application for allocation of Land ie government plots, entertains and determines complaints arising from wrongful claims of title to Land and determine disputes over compensation payable on Land acquired for specific government projects.
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