Host Community Sets Up Committee To Curb Land Grabbing, Fraudulent Sales

The people of Alesa-Eleme community, host of the Port Harcourt Refineries complex have set up a set up land development committee, to handle issues of land grabbing and fraudulent sales of land in the community.

Rivers State has been gripped by the vicious hold of land grabbers who have moved with armed hoodlums backed by security agencies to crush opponents and take over lands or even built up spaces.

The committee, which has the approval of the state government was inaugurated by the paramount ruler of the community, Emere Emperor Mkpe.

Inaugurating the committee, the traditional ruler condemned sharp practices in land sales in the state with Alesa as an example.

He said: “Alesa is one of the 10 communities in Eleme and we are the first community in Nigeria that has refineries.

The Port Harcourt Refinery (1 and 2) that has a lot of pipelines surrounding us. We have done a lot of contribution in making sure Nigeria stands great among all nations.

“We are made up of about 13 communities due to expansion. When I say 13 communities, Alesa is a community that has embraced other people. You can see here some people from the northern community. All the communities are here. That is why Alesa is known as a cosmopolitan community.

“Because we have got a lot of information about sale of land, and because we now have a situation whereby other persons will go into another person’s land and sell without the owner’s notice. We have also got information about minors who are not qualified to sell landed property, now selling land without letting their elders know.”

The paramount ruler stated that the said bad land practices have created a lot of problems in their community.

“And that is why today, we are going to inaugurate a land development committee whose duty is to see into all these issues and bring up report about them. This will make both buyers and sellers feel very free in Alesa.

“We seize this opportunity to warn thus: if you sell any land to anybody without this committee’s knowledge or consent, you are doing it at your own risk. If you are buying any land from Alesa, this committee will know.

“By this, we will track those selling the land to you so that you don’t buy land from a wrong person. We also do not want you to buy land from an under-aged persons (children) who will sell land and run away,” he said.

In his acceptance speech, chairman of the committee, Mr. Emmanuel Olaka, who vowed never to betray Alesa, said: “I hereby pledge never to betray this community or the palace. This is my hometown.

“Let me stand to say this afternoon, I want to really express my profound gratitude to God Almighty, who has made today possible for us to gather here, for this land development committee..”

In his remarks, real estate investor, China, commended the community for leading the way and the war against land grabbing and land fraud, pointing out that the development would augur well for the green city being initiated in the area and other projects coming to Alesa.