Land title-Nigeria - Lagos state government has engaged six property consultants to ensure the regularization of land title and issuance of certificate of occupancy. It instructed the consultants to use persuasive and consultative actions on the public in such a way that they will appreciate the benefits of registering their title to specifics as laid down by the office of the Directorate of Lands Regularization, in Lagos state.

The consultants include Land Records Company Limited, Dynamic Land and Property Company Limited, Habitat Concept Limited, Eko Estates Limited, Law Title International Limited and Reduris Partners.

According to a press statement by the Director of Press/Public Relations of the bureau, Moshood Adebisi, the "Consultants are mainly to identify and document all existing houses and properties within committed government acquisition areas that have no legal title and building plan approval.

"While the consultants are also to collect and submit qualified applications together with supporting documents from prospective clients to the Directorate of Land Regularization for further processing, they will also sell forms for formal allocation," he said.

He however warned property owners on Government acquired areas to take advantage of the exercise and co-operate with the appointed consultants, saying, "Only applications that meet very strict and specific guidelines will be considered for regularization."

Adebisi, who justified the appointment said the state government has been worried by the spate of purchase of government acquired land from land speculators and erection of buildings upon such lands without approved development plans from the state government.

He said, "It is common knowledge that the government of Lagos state has been doing its best over the past years to ensure that filth; unbefitting of a mega city, is discouraged and positive actions taken to remedy it.

Mansur Oladunjoye

Daily Champion/10/02/2011