Governor Godwin Obaseki reveals that landgrabbers resold his property, raising concerns about illegal land practices. Read about his response and efforts to tackle land issues.
On Thursday, Godwin Obaseki, the departing Governor of Edo State, shared how land grabbers had reallocated and resold his property in Iyekogba, a community within the Oredo Local Government Area.
Governor Obaseki was reported to have spoken at the inauguration of the Edo Built Environment Hub in Benin City.
The hub is home to the Ministry of Physical Planning, Housing, Urban and Regional Development; Edo Geographic Information Service (EdoGIS); Ministry of Roads and Bridges; as well as the Edo State Public Building and Maintenance Agency.
He stated, “Before I took office as governor of Edo State, land grabbers seized my parcel of land in Benin that had an approved Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) from the Edo State Government.”
The property at Iyekogba was resold, and the new owner constructed a building on it. Unfortunately, it’s not up to par, which is what we encountered; development in this way isn’t feasible for us.
“The journey of building a house was taken over by the Community Development Associations (CDAs). It seems you must satisfy their demands at every step before finishing your home, as if they were in charge of construction oversight.”
The governor remarked that this experience influenced his administration’s choice to implement policies aimed at improving land management in the state.
He mentioned that the policies included enhancing the environment, ensuring the safety of lives and property, and elevating the state to become one of the top destinations for living and conducting business in the country.
He expressed that land is one of the most valuable assets anyone can possess, emphasizing the importance of ensuring proper administration and utilization of state lands.
Obaseki revealed that over the past three years, his administration has signed and issued more than 40,000 Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O), compared to approximately 2,000 that had been processed since the state’s establishment.
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I had the honor of leading the Economic Team prior to my tenure as governor, and when I reflect on Benin City in Edo State, our most significant asset is undoubtedly our strategic location. Consequently, land in Edo State holds exceptional value.
When it comes to land and real estate, location is crucial. Edo State’s prime location makes its land highly valuable, but we can only fully unlock this value by ensuring proper organization. In terms of land resources, Edo ranks among the richest states in the country.
Our land encompasses a diverse range of environments, including swamps, rainforests, and savannas. We possess mineral resources and substantial gas reserves; however, they all require thorough mapping because without accessible information, these assets are essentially rendered ineffective.
Before I became governor, it was evident that a priority had to be initiating the process of gathering information about our land resources. One of our initial actions involved reaching out to a company for assistance in sourcing and providing the necessary data regarding our land assets.
“We have always maintained a planned environment, but by the time I became governor, things had changed significantly. Our land administration process had fallen apart.”
He stated that over the past eight years, the government has intentionally worked to enhance land administration and organize the built environment sector. These efforts aim to maintain investor confidence and support sustainable growth, progress, and prosperity within the state.
The governor dedicated the EdoGIS building in honor of the late Daniel Omoigui, who was Nigeria’s first Surveyor-General hailing from Edo State.
