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Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Residents of Kpansia in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State were shocked yesterday, when Governor Seriake Dickson personally led a special team from the Ministry of Land and Survey as well as that of the Board of Physical Planning and Development to demolish a house and a filling station being built by his brother-in-law, Mr. Walton Liverpool.
Daily Sun investigations revealed that the two-hectare of land bought from the Kpansia community, had been set aside by the administration of late former governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha to build guesthouses for former governors King Alfred Diete-Spiff and late Melford Okilo but was sold to Liverpool.
Dickson, who had vowed to recover all government land and property being held by private individuals, declared that the demolition of Liverpool house was to demonstration that the days of impunity is over in Bayelsa state.
Dickson explained, in an interview, that the action was part of his vow during his inauguration, never to play politics with the issues of development and security, adding that other areas in the state, including Oxbow Lake, Swali, Agudama and Local Content Board area in Opolo, will be reclaimed by government.
He said the government is determined to recover all landed property belonging to the state government no matter the calibre of persons involved in its acquisition.
“Today, we are here to signpost the commencement of ‘operation recover all government land’. “Any land that is acquired by the government for which compensation has been paid to the natives, families or communities, and overtime, government comes and goes, and these people think government has forgotten, they sell the land to distort government original plan, will be recovered from the person, irrespective of who he is. This phase is targeted at those who have trespassed on government land.
“If the communities received money as compensation and they are still selling the lands, we will treat them as criminals, and the buyers as trespassers. Any structure on such land is considered unlawful and government will bring it down. Our state capital is like a slum and this is because government, over time, has slept over its responsibility to monitor; now, they build on drainage lines, sewage lines and green areas. That era is over.”
Dickson seized the opportunity to advise all those interested in buying land to approach the Ministry of Land and Survey, for proper documentation, adding that the media and Bayelsans should be wary of those that would want to read political undertone to the demolition exercise.
He said: “The general interest should supersede private interest. There are people who will be affected in the coming days, weeks and months and you will hear them shout victimisation and politics because they use politics as a cover for brigandage. The people should come first.”
