- Says Sensitization Against Speculators Underway
BY PATRICK MGBODO/DINMA BIGWA
the Delta State Government has hinted at plans to regulate real estate activities and control land sales in a bid to prevent disputes and misunderstandings within communities.
This was disclosed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution, Chief Edwin Uzor, during a mediation meeting between the Isheagu community and the neighbouring Umuoma clan of Ewulu, both in Aniocha South Local Government Area.
During the enlarged meeting, Chief Uzor said that the influx of investors, particularly in the Delta North area, has ignited an explosion of disputes among communities.
“Today, some of our youths, due to their desire for material possessions, are more interested in land sales especially, these days that investors (real estate developers) are coming into Delta North. This is why we are planning a workshop specifically for Delta North on land matters. ‘’It has become very glaring that maybe because of the capital territory, Delta North is engulfed with land issues. There are land issues everywhere; when you are passing the road, you see people measuring lands and they are not even sure of the ownership of the lands that they are measuring. This is giving us problems in Delta North’’ he said. Addressing journalists, Uzor added ‘’we are planning a sensitization workshop on community awareness on the implications of the land-grabbing phenomenon in selected communities in Delta North particularly. ‘’When you look at the state, the capital territory area, there are a lot of land issues that have not existed before. Not that there are no land issues in other senatorial districts but it is not as much as it is in Delta North. So, we are planning a workshop where we will bring the people together and talk to them about the need to change their attitudes over land-grabbing.
‘’It appears that the coming of investors (developers) is pushing people to go and sell lands that do not belong to them. It is on that basis that we are planning a workshop to enlighten the people on how they should go about their lands without causing problems. In that workshop, we also intend to involve the developers’’ Uzor said.
In the course of the meeting, Chief Uzor emphasized the need for both communities, Isheagu and Ewulu, to live in peace, adding that God has a purpose for bringing them together in one area evident in their cultural similarities and identity. He said that the communities, in the course of deliberations, stumbled upon a peace agreement dated 1983, adding ‘’Thus, they (Ewulu and Isheagu) have agreed that they would resolve this matter by themselves and revert to the government’’
During the meeting, Barr Nat Igbadi of the Ewulu Community and the President-General of the Isheagu Community, Chief Stephen Uwafili as well as Emeka Anukwu and Joe Asem thanked Chief Uzor and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for the mediation efforts, even as they promised to amicably resolve the land dispute between both communities.
