The Abia State Government has announced that the extended August 30, 2024, grace period given to the public to submit their title documents for recertification has expired.
Consequently, the state has withdrawn allocations in government layouts within public servants’ (Castle Lairage) at Mgbarakuma, Mgbarakuma Mini Layout, Mbaisii Layout, and Valley View Estates Phase 1 and 2 with immediate effect.
The new land policy was made known by the Commissioner for Land and Housing, Chaka Ikenna Chukwumerije, while speaking to journalists in his office on Wednesday.
He confirmed that the State government has suspended all locations in Umuopara and Nkpa Abia State Estate Development Agency project areas while warning that those transacting or encroaching into Ogo Nsukwe and Amibo Ubakala estates would face the law.
The commissioner made it clear that any title document not submitted for recertification shall no longer be accepted within the ministry or its agencies, including planning authorities, until they are submitted for recertification.
Chukwumerije stated that the policy was aimed at proper planning and cleaning up Abia’s land records for optimal management and administration. He declared that documents submitted so far are being verified, and announced that his office has activated the invalidation of titles for transactions until they are recertified.
He listed the purposes of the exercise as including the review and update of land records, upgrading survey records from Nigeria/local origin to UTM, and updating the Abia State Social Security Identification Number (ABSSIN), among others.
Chukwumerije disclosed that his office discovered some property owners in Abia paraded just one certificate even when they were allocated dual properties by previous administrations.
Abia invalidates more property documents in govt layouts, others as deadline expires