Gov. Uba Sani of Kaduna State, has allocated plots of land to political appointees, party executives, government officials, and law enforcement officers as a recognition of their hard work.
This is contained in a statement on Saturday in Kaduna by Dr Bashir Garba, the Director-General of the State Geographic Information Service (KADGIS).
Garba said the allocation included compensations for long-awaited plots and selections from direct allocation applicants from 2020 to 2024, amounting to 5,453 plots across various locations in the state.
He added that the Governor has approved a reduction in penalties and regularisation charges to facilitate land ownership amid economic challenges.
This, Garba said, included a 15 per cent discount on ground rent and use charges for early payment, installment payment options for customers with high debt, and a 20 per cent discount for advance payment for five years.
The director-general said new layouts were created in different locations of the state to provide opportunities for land acquisition and development with the regularisation of 25 urban areas.
“The Kaduna State Government is also digitalising and upgrading KADGIS activities to expedite the processing of titles, aiming to produce 200 certificates of occupancy every week. 24,000 certificate of occupancy is currently ready for collection.
“The Kaduna State Government has settled over 347 cases of farmland disputes and plot revocations amicably, with 203 approved reinstatement and provision of alternative plots to claimants.
“A new framework has been introduced for the integration of existing settlements in the creation of new layouts to resolve conflicts in government layout establishment.
“Additionally, there is a call for support for the less privileged in the payment of certificate of occupancy fees, particularly for systematic land registration exercise from old settlements with customary titles,” Garba said.
He assured the clients of improved services, including various payment options accessible from anywhere in the world and enhanced security of public documents.