The Executive Secretary of Borno Geographic Information Service (BOGIS), Engr. Adam Bababe, said the State Government is not contemplating any new land allocation or layouts for now.
Bababe made this known on Saturday while briefing newsmen on the agency’s effort to sanitize the system of land administration in the state.
Bababe said there were existing layouts created by past administrations within Maiduguri metropolis that are still lying fallow without any development.
“We have a lot of layouts that have been created that people have not yet taken possession of.
“Some are only holding the papers of allocation but don’t even know where they lands are; people are just buying and selling from one person to another, it’s just changing hands on paper but nobody is taking possession.
“You will see a layout of 200 to 300 plots but not up to 50 plots are taken and developed,” Bababe said.
He explained that BOGIS needed to sanitize the system by working on existing layouts to know who owns what, level of development and what could be done for people to take possession before thinking of new layouts.
Bababe said that already four estate developers have been engaged to build 500 housing units each so that people in need of houses could possess them through mortgage, cooperative union or labour associations.
Bababe said the setting up of the agency which took over from the Ministry of Lands and Survey in managing and administering land for the state government has not only brought some sanity but improved the state revenue from land.
He explained that the highest revenue generated by the defunct Ministry of Lands and Survey was N68.8 million in 2019, while BOGIS on taking over generated N436 million in 2020 and over N1 billion in 2021.
While lauding the improvement in payment of Ground Rent by organisations in Borno, Bababe called for more support and understanding from the public to the activities of the agency as it took steps to sanitize the land system in Borno.
He noted that already an arrangement is on to have a new Borno Master Plan. (NAN)
