Gombe State government has in the last three years spent about N3billion to compensate land owners whose properties were acquired by the state government.
The commissioner for lands and survey, Hon Usman Biri told journalists yesterday in his office that the properties mostly lands were acquired to further develop the state.
He listed the 1,000 hectares Muhammadu Buhari industrial park, Federal polytechnic Kaltungo, extension of Federal University of Agriculture, Kashere, the state’s school of nursing and midwifery among others as developmental projects for which lands were acquired.
He said: “so far, this government has spent close to N3billion compensation to land owners.”
He explained that though compensation varies from locations as landowners in the urban/metropolis get N1 million per hectare, semi-urban N750,000 while owners of lands in the wards are compensated with N500,000.
Biri hinted that government don’t sell lands but individuals, “what we do here is to refer prospective buyers to three areas: the board of internal revenue, Gombe Geographical Information Service (GOGIS) and the surveyor general’s office where certain fees are paid, then I will endorse the application which I will take to the governor for signature, there ready the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) within three weeks,” he explained.
He however regretted that many people for their selfish economic reason don’t always want to give up their lands for acquisition. This is because we will pay about N200,000 for the land they would collect about N1million on.
“Some greedy land owners are often not satisfied with our compensation especially politicians in the opposition parties,” he said, urging all and sundry to cooperate with the government in delivering further dividends of democracy.
