By Raymond Gukas, Jos
The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Plateau State Council has raised an alarm over a purported land administration’s bill before the state assembly that allegedly does not have the input of the citizens.
The said bill which has passed its second reading, would give powers to the governor to administer lands in any given area of the state unchallenged.
It was gathered that the “Plateau State Land Administration Bill” allegedly sponsored by the member representing Pankshin North in the Plateau State House of Assembly, Dasun Philip Peter has come under hammer from a section of the stakeholders who are querying the haste being adopted to pass it.
The Bill in part reads: “PART II (1) “Pursuant to the provision of the Land use Act, the Governor shall in respect of Land in the State whether or not the Land is located in an urban Area have power to grant statutory rights of occupancy to any person for all purposes”
However, the PDP in a press briefing said it was contradictory,, when compared to the the Land use Act of 1978, which is enshrined in the provisions stated in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
“If the Bill is passed without expunging that part that contradicts the Land Use Act and allows the Governor total control over the entire Land of the State, Plateau people will be deprived of their land, which is part of their heritage and their ancestral inheritance”, the state Chairman, Yakubu Chocho stressed.
According to him, “we see this as an attempt of the executive governor to cede some portions of individuals and community land belonging to Plateau people for his RUGA agenda.
“It is unfortunate that up to this moment our dear governor has continued to exhibit a deep sense of ill will towards the people of Plateau,” he lamented.
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