Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State

The Benue government says it has harmonised and eased the processes of acquiring land title documents, making it possible for applicant to obtain their certificates “within 90 days”.

“An applicant can secure the land titles within 90 provided he or she has paid all required fees,” Prof. Jonathan Uever, the Special Adviser to the Benue Government on Lands and Survey, stated on Thursday in Makurdi.

The officer, while briefing the press on the development, regretted that many people, who applied for land titles in the last six years, had yet to get them because of the rigorous processes.

According to him, the development has hindered people, especially businessmen, who most often use such titles as collateral for facilities, from transacting business with financial institutions.

“We have set duration for processing of land title documents for clients which will never be more than 90 days, provided that the applicant has paid all required fees,” he said.

The Special Adviser said that the bureau had also restored due process in land acquisition processes by interfacing with community heads on mutual ways of acquiring layouts in the rural areas.

Uever told the reporters that the bureau had negotiated and succeeded in convincing many litigants to withdraw cases against it.

He said that there were lands in the rural areas for the creation of ranches whenever there was the need.

“Such land will be available, but due compensation must be paid by by the government,” he said.

He, however, noted that boundary matters still persisted, but added that negotiations were ongoing.

In his remarks, Benue NUJ Chairman, Mr Kris Atsaka, commended the bureau over its efforts to stabilise land issues, and urged the state government to allow the bureau to generate its funds.

“The bureau should be allowed to utilize, rather than remit, all of its funds to the Benue Internal Revenue Services.

“There is no need for a revenue generating outfit to cry for funds,” he said.

(NAN)