.Assures communities of enhanced welfare
By Oye Chukwujekwu
The Delta State Government has reiterated its resolve to penalise Land Title holders with Ground Rent liabilities who have failed to comply with the October 31, 2017 deadline.
The Secretary to the State Committee on Ground Rent, Dr. Frank Nwugo, disclosed this in a meeting the Committee held with Representatives of Religious bodies at the glass house, Asaba on Friday.
According to him, payment of ground rent is mandatory for every land and property owner as enshrined in the Land Use Act and State Gazette of 2002, adding that all lands in the state belong to the government.
He said that massive awareness had been created regularly since 2014, emphasizing that the State Government decided to kick-start the payment of Ground Rent liabilities with holders of the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O).
Nwugo, while taking into cognizance the poor state of the economy and how it has affected the living standards of the public, reiterated the benevolence of the governor, who had approved the waiver of all outstanding Ground Rent liabilities before 2011 for organizations and corporate bodies and before 2015 for individual or private owners of land and property depending on when C of O was acquired.
The secretary further said that a TaskForce Committee would be constituted to enforce compliance and advised all those affected to meet their outstanding liabilities as required by the law, even as he commended participants for their contribution to the socio-economic growth of the state.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary, Members of the State Committee on Ground Rent and Representatives of Religious bodies including Christ Embassy, Victory Baptist Church, Corner Stone Ministries, Emmanuel the Saviour Catholic Church, Redeemed Christian Church of God among others.
Meanwhile, the Project Coordinator of the State Employment and Expenditure for Results (SEEFOR) Project, Mr. Benson Ojoko, has reiterated the determination of SEEFOR towards complementing the state government’s desire to enhance the well-being of Deltans through its various interventions under the support of the World Bank, European Union and Delta State Government.
Ojoko, who disclosed this in Ubulu-Uku community in Aniocha South Local Government Area during the project launch for the construction of the multi-purpose hall, recalled that many jobless youths in the state have continued to receive forms of empowerment from SEEFOR.
The SEEFOR Project Coordinator, represented by the assistant Monitoring and Evaluation officer, Mr. Greg Agbongiague, however, admonished the community to use the project funds judiciously, adding that they should ensure unity of purpose at all times to deliver their micro-project within the stipulated time frame without any issues.
In his address, the President-General of Ubulu-Uku Development Union, Comrade Jones Ofunne, said that the community was in need of a befitting centre where their people could be meeting for annual conference, marriage reception and other ceremonial activities, adding that as a result, they came together to prioritize the project as their heartfelt need.
Ofunne, who commended the Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, for the payment of the state counterpart contribution, thus laying the foundation for communities to benefit from the scheme, lauded the World Bank and the European Union for the provision of the larger part of the funds for the project, even as the chairman of the project management committee, Mr. Emmanuel Banwuna, pledged to execute the micro-project in accordance with the World Bank specifications and appealed to SEEFOR –CDDSIU to always continue to guild the community to avoid unnecessary mistakes.
Presenting the cheque worth of 50% to the community to commence execution, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, Rev Omatsola Williams, represented by the Director of Community Development in her ministry, Mrs. Juliana Eyione-Ireyefoju, enjoined the community to always use their work plan, reminding them that any error would be borne by the community as there was no room for project abandonment under the CDD approach.
The Women Affairs Commissioner appreciated Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for his developmental strides, saying that the state government had shown its strong commitment towards giving the people succor through the payment of its counterpart contribution and advised the people of Ubulu-Uku community, especially the members of the project management committee to justify the confidence reposed in them by the entire community.