Lagos – Participants at a workshop on “Data Journalism on Land and Property Matters’’ rose on Wednesday with a call on the government to ensure systematic management of land for its optimum utilisation.
This is contained in a communique by the stakeholders and journalist that participated in the workshop organised by Pulitzer Media in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop conducted by Pulitzer Centre has the theme: “Covering Land and Property Rights in Nigeria’’.
NAN also reports that Pulitzer Centre is a U.S. company that sponsors independent reporting of global affairs.
The participants resolved that as statutory custodian of lands in Nigeria, courtesy of the 1978 Land Use Decree, state governments must ensure the systematic management of land.
They said that the management was in order to achieve optimum utilisation, value enhancement and the reduction of slums.
They added that one of the ways was to ensure proper participatory and inclusive mapping and inventory of all land both in statutory and customary rights.
They also urged governments to embark on proactive layout of all lands, prescribe appropriate usage and ensure strict compliance by all.
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In her contribution, Ms Megan Chapman, a lawyer with the Justice Empowerment Initiative in Nigeria (JEI) advocated for a pro-poor policy charge to make security of tenure possible for the urban poor.
She added that the issue of land was a most contentious issue in most countries across Africa and as such, the urban poor should not be displaced when such issues arose.
Chapman listed some of the ways they helped the urban poor as teaching the community paralegal land laws and supporting them with other settlements.
She said that the urban poor were constantly faced with forced evictions and urged governments to take proper care in ameliorating their sufferings. (NAN)