Follow Us on Google
From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) has commenced revocation of yet-to-be developed lands situated in various estates across the capital city of Anambra state.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ACTDA, Dr. Ossy Onuko, who disclosed this yesterday after an enforcement drive by the agency, said the move is part of the agency’s Operation Keep Awka Clean, a long-standing environmental sanitation and enforcement initiative.
He said the initiative is aimed at improving public safety, urban standards and aesthetic outlook of the State capital. Onuko warned those he referred to as land bankers and speculators with the practice of buying land as investment, and holding it for future use with no specific plans for its development to desist forthwith or risk revocation of such lands.
According to him, the Agency’s interest is on the real, serious developers who are ready to develop their lands to put the capital city on the world map so as to be named among the most developed cities in Nigeria.
“For three days now we’ve been carrying out what we call sustained and continuous operation Keep Awka Clean, an exercise we carry out at the beginning of every year.
Other News
“However, there’s something unique about this particular exercise.
“We’re going after organized real estate developers, allocated government lands with a caveat that they should have reached an appreciable percentage, say 70-80 percent, of development within three to four years as the case may be. “If they don’t meet such conditions, the land will be revoked. These things are spelt out in the MoU signed by the Ministry of lands and Anambra State Environmental Protection Agency (ANSEPA) when these estates were allocated.
“Today, we want to stamp our feet on the ground to say you can’t just approach the government and become land speculators and bankers waiting for values to appreciate to sell.
“We’re looking for real, serious developers who will put the capital city on the world map as one of the most developed cities in Nigeria.Those estates sold to people but yet to be developed will be revoked. We’re not taking the money, but the land. We will only give them back when they’re ready.”
“Our emphasis is where we designated as model cities for estate development. We want to start developing them as fast as possible. We want those who are ready to develop immediately they buy. Otherwise, we’ll revoke such land.”
The ACTDA boss further hinted that letters were written to the concerned individuals ahead to avoid being taken unawares, adding that the agency was working closely with Ministry of Lands which supervises such activities.
