A group of estate surveyors and valuers has commended Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State for the remarkable progress made in land administration reforms, security, and infrastructure in the state in the past one year, stating that no country in the world had ever developed without proper land policy and administration.
The group, Ubosi Eleh and Co, gave the commendation during a courtesy visit to Government House Enugu, Wednesday, to notify and invite the governor to a workshop for estate surveyors and valuers holding in Enugu city.
The group of professionals led by Emeka Eleh listed the enactment of the Enugu State Geographic Information Services law, legislation to fight land grabbers, and the effort to correct the illegalities committed in property development in the state as commendable steps towards repositioning the state for exponential socioeconomic development.
Eleh said that Mbah had repositioned Enugu as the right place to do business in Nigeria, expressing delight about the state’s 2024 budget, which consists of only 107.2 billion, 21 per cent recurrent expenditure and 414.3 billion, 79 per cent capital expenditure.
“You coming from a very strong pedigree and from a very strong private sector background, we were very delighted when you were elected because we felt it would be a turning point in the affairs of this state. We are very delighted to say that we have been very correct, given the evidence of governance we see.
“We keep talking about the housing deficit without talking about infrastructural deficit, and we are glad you are addressing it frontally to add values to the lives of the people.
“We are also happy about what you are doing in terms of land administration and physical planning. We are aware, in the areas of physical planning, how you are cleaning up the town and ensuring that people follow rules and that the right things are done by people who are building to create a better liveable city. This is commendable because in the end, Enugu has to return to its old glory, and for it to be done, what you are doing must be done.
“We equally commend you for the efforts to fast-track the issuance of Certificate of Occupancy. Our Land Use Act empowers the governor to do a lot in that area, and we are glad that you have taken it upon yourself to pass that process.
“For us, who come from this part of the world, the issue of titling and Certificate of Occupancy is key because our people are mainly businessmen. We are happy you are equally dealing with the issue of land grabbing.
“You are just one year, and a lot has happened. So, we are imagining what will happen in the next three years. We are certain, and we believe that Enugu is in very good hands.”
Responding, Mbah assured of his administration’s commitment to make Enugu State the hub of investment, business, tourism, and living.
He listed the Enugu State Geographic Information Service, the New Enugu City, aggressive road construction, restoration of water supply to the capital city, radical reforms in land administration, the actualisation of the power to regulate and drive power generation, transmission, and distribution in the state, among others, as parts of the efforts to improve ease of doing business in the South East state.
“We are currently able to generate 120 million litres of water daily from the occasional 2 million litres we met. Now, we are dealing with all the challenges with reticulation to make sure that water gets to the last man.
“We have also committed to making sure that we have 24-hour power supply. We were the first state in this country that set up our Electricity Regulatory Commission and also have rights devolved from National Electricity Commission, NERC, to our own electricity regulatory commission. So, we are able to regulate the activities of all those that play in the electricity value chain in our state.
“So, we are doing everything to continue to improve ease of doing business here. Enugu is open for business, and we are looking forward to partnering with the private sector, particularly in our land sector,” Mbah stated.
