Land revenue drive gain center stage in Plateau IGR

By Kingsley Chukwuka

With the dwindling income generated from crude oil occasioned by alternative means of energy such as solar and biofuel which is eroding the dependence hitherto placed on crude oil, the Plateau State Ministry of Lands, Survey & Town Planning is poised to boost the States Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), through land income drive.

Land based revenue has remained hugely untapped and the returns from the sector in dire need of a turn around, the Commissioner Lands, Survey and Town Planning, Yakubu Dati said.

Dati stated this Thursday in Jos during the a Stakeholders Engagement on Efficient Land Administration and Revenue, championed by the Ministry.

According to him: “It is beyond argument that the world over land based revenue is the new black gold of the 21st century and based on this we have brought professionals, technocrats, development partners and clients of the Ministry under one roof to brain storm on the way forward and to chart a way forward for the growth and development of the State through increased revenue generation”, he said.

In his key note address, the Vice Chancellor, Plateau State University, Bokkos, Prof. Yohana Izam, said she has been in the fore front pushing for Land Administration in the State.

He said Plateau is currently ranked 16 out of the 36 States in terms of revenue generation from land and with proper Land Administration, the position could appreciate to number one in the country.

Izam who is currently National President, Nigeria Institute of Building noted that currently, there are problems with land encroachment across the States, due to improper land administration, adding that such encroachment negates development of infrastructure.

Our correspondent reports that the Ministry priorities five vital area it intends to leverage on in its bid to improve revenue such as enumeration of properties in the State, Mandatory recertification of all certificates of occupancy, Standardization of conversion of titles from customary to statutory among others.