Delta State Government, Tuesday, issued demolition notice to illegal occupiers of government lands, particularly Dennis Osadebay University lands in Asaba.The Chairman, Taskforce on Recovery of Government Lands, Chief Frank Omare, gave the demolition notice during an inspection of the affected lands in Asaba, the state capital.

Chief Omare, who was flanked by members of the committee, warned that government would no longer tolerate illegal structures built on government lands by land speculators.Areas visited by the Committee include 74 Road, Musa Camp and Dennis Osadebay University, Anwai-Asaba.

Chief Omare stressed that, as a responsible administration, the state government had given enough notice to the illegal developers and warned that those who have valuable items in their houses should remove them before the demolition exercise begins.

He said that the committee had carried out enough enlightenment to the affected land speculators to stop deceiving investors to acquire lands belonging to the state government.The Chairman appealed to investors to make appropriate enquiries before buying any land, warning that ignorance was not an excuse.

“We have given them adequate time and they know that where they have built is government land. None of these developers has Certificate of Occupancy (Cof O).”This exercise will also be carried out wherever government lands have been encroached on across the 25 local government areas of the state,” Omare said.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Ben Oghojafor debunked accusations of the university selling land to developers at Musa Camp and pledged the institution’s support for the efforts of the Committee to recover its land.He stressed, “I have no reason, either of poverty or otherwise, induced, compelled and encouraged, to sell one meter of land belonging to Dennis Osadebay University.

“Mr Chairman, you have the full support of the university to demolish any property within the coordinates of the approved land for Dennis Osadebay University.”Earlier, some protesters from the Iyase and Onishe families of Asaba stormed Government House, Asaba, to state their own part of the land dispute.

Spokesmen of the group appealed to the government to allow them repossess part of their family land acquired from their forefathers in 1954, stressing that demolishing areas already built up would render them homeless.

The Chief of Staff, Government House, Hon Johnson Erijo, who received them, thanked them for the peaceful protest, assuring that their request would be channelled to the Governor for prompt action.

He said government was committed to ensuring that illegal acquisition of land was not tolerated, in addition to ensuring that communities had access to their legitimate land.Addressing the Committee during a visit to the Nsopi area, a representative of the community, Mr Ikemefuna Akpoku, thanked Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for constituting a formidable team to recover all land belonging to the Dennis Osadebay University being encroached upon by land speculators.

He said the community was in support of the action, promising to partner government in the recovery process.

•PHOTO: Chairman of Delta Taskforce on Recovery of Govt Lands, Chief Frank Omare ( 2^nd right) takes a look at an illegal structure on an encroached land belonging to the state government during the inspection of government lands around Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba by members of the Taskforce on Tuesday. Pix: JIBUNOR SAMUEL

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