By; MOHAMMAD IBRAHIM, Kaduna.
Kaduna State Government has called on land title owners to get the newly introduced electronic Certificate of Occupancy to guard against fraudulent land transactions and ensure uniformity of land titles.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai,who stated this when he visited the Kaduna Geographic Information Service (KADGIS) to convert the old C of O of his personal residence to the new electronic version, said the new digital C of O comes with security features to guard against fraudulent practices and land racketeering.
Speaking shortly after capturing his details, El-Rufai said the
Kaduna master plan that came into being in 1917 was last reviewed in 1967 and which is also due for another review by 2017 did not cater for the excessive growth presently witnessed in the city.
The governor further explained the need for expansion of the Kaduna master plan. In his words; “I got my C of O in Kaduna, but what I have come to do today at KADGIS, is convert it to the new electronic C of O. They have taken my details after paying the required amount of N20, 000. So, in 30 days time, I will return here to pick the electronic C of O.
“What we are trying to do is to ensure that everyone that owns land in Kaduna, whether residential or farmland has Certificate of Occupancy with evidence of payment. We don’t want duplication of Certificate of Occupancy, we want a cleaned-up process, so that everyone will have electronic copies.
“The new digital Certificate of Occupancy has security features that will reduce racketeering and can be used by land owners to obtain loans from the banks. Also, with a click of computer button, lawyers can google and verify your land details for any land transaction,” he said.
On the master plan, El-Rufai said: “the Kaduna master plan is to protect the integrity of Kaduna city. It was drawn up and signed in July in 1917 and was revised in 1967. Kaduna is growing rapidly and we want to ensure that the growth is controlled.
