Chairman, Delta State House of Assembly Committee on Lands and Survey, Hon Reuben Izeze, has stressed the need for good and quality representation of the people by those at the corridors of power.
Izeze, who represents Ughelli South Constituency in the House, stated this during an official interface between members of the Committee and the management of the State Ministry of Lands and Survey, led by the Commissioner in charge of the ministry, Mrs Kate Oniawan.
The Izeze led committee had while summoning the interactive meeting directed the officials to come along with details of government allocated lands and their beneficiaries within the period of July 1, 2015, to date as well as the report of the Adhoc Committee on Land Recovery, set up by the Ministry as of date.
Addressing the officials, Izeze flanked by other members of the committee including, Honourables Shedrack Rapu, Jude Ogbimi, Austin Uroye, Emomotimi Guwor and Austin Chikezie, spoke against any form of abuse of powers and opportunities, saying that the interest of the governed should be of priority at all times.
He said contrary to insinuation, the invitation of the Commissioner and her team to appear before the Committee was not to witch-hunt anybody or any hidden agenda by members of the committee.
Izeze explained that the essence of the interaction is to ascertain how well the Ministry has performed its roles of trustees on behalf of the people in relation to lands matters in the state.
“This committee does not intend to witch-hunt anybody neither are we here to pursue any hidden agenda. What we are doing here today is in line with provisions of section 108, subsection 2 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria as altered.
“In a proper democracy, separation of power entails the working together of the various arms of government for the common benefits of the governed. So, the essence of us being in government is to ensure that the people we claim to serve get quality impact of governance,” Izeze said.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the meeting, Oniawan said the state government will continue to strengthen its resolve towards containing the activities of illegal land acquisition in the state.
While saying that the Dr Ifeanyi Okowa led government has remained irrevocably committed to transforming the state Ministry of Lands and its activities, Oniawan commended the sound synergy between the Assembly Committee on Lands and Survey and the ministry.
She said the administration will continue to frown at the activities of land grabbers in the State, disclosing that as part of measures by the State Government in sanitizing the lands sector, the ban on illegal collection of development fees, popularly referred to as Deve by host communities in the State is still in force
She enjoined Deltans to rise up to the task of informing officials of the State Ministry of Lands and Survey in the event of molestation by communities in relation to land development, just as she explained the rationale for the revocation of Lands in the State by the State Government.
According to her, the revocation of any land is in the best interest of the public, adding that such development would help in the transformation process within the land sector.
