Yakubu Ventim
The Commissioner of Lands, Survey and Town Planning, Plateau State Hon. Yakubu Dati has disclosed that with the dwindling economic well-being in Nigeria lands remain huge untapped mineral deposits as we return to the sector it would provide a turnaround in the IGR.
Hon Dato stated this during a stakeholders engagement on efficient land administration and revenue held at the Eliel center, Jos on the 30th September 2021.
He said , “it gave him great joy to welcome all to this auspicious occasion of the commencement of series of activities which all geared towards increasing the revenue generation to the Plateau State Ministry of Lands, Survey & Town Planning being set in motion.
Hon Dati explained further that with the stakeholder’s engagement that can be followed with other activities in regard all this effort is to bring the state back to the stage of good fortunes through Efficient Land Administration.
According to him, beyond argument that the world over land-based revenue is the new black gold in this 21st century even more so 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.
It is for this and other reasons that the Management of the Ministry deemed it necessary to organize this stake holders’ engagement in order to bring both professionals, Technocrats, development partners and clients of the ministry under one roof to brainstorm on the way forward and to chart a way forward for the growth and development of the state through increased revenue generation, he added.
Hon Yakubu Dati says,for this reason, the Ministry has identified five (5) priority areas it intends to leverage on in its bid to improve revenue in the days ahead. These priority areas are:
(a) enumeration of properties in the state
(b) mandatory recertification of all certificates of occupancy
(c) standardization of conversion of titles from customary to statutory
(d) massive issuance of demand notice for payment of ground rent
(e) commencement of recertification within the Miango and Rantya layout.
He also pointed put that the process of obtaining titles is being simplified as well as the medium of payment of fees by the ongoing integration between the Ministry and the Plateau State Internal Revenue Service to reduce public apathy in the payments of land based fees in the state.
Dati revealed that on the whole, the Ministry is not leaving any stone unturned in its bid to becoming the major revenue earner of the state and a critical stake holder in the realization of His Excellency’s vision for the state which is being threatened due to paucity of funds.
He ,therefore urge them not to hold back in their opinion and suggestion which could make the difference between success and failure and because we have no intention of failing, as partners of progress.
Hon Dati urged them to use their wealth of experience to guide the ministry on the path of increase in the area of revenue generation in the state.
