In a bid to tackle widespread irregularities in land administration, the Delta State Government has announced plans to fully digitalize the land acquisition and building approval process across the state.
The Commissioner for Lands and Urban Renewal, Mr. Michael Anoka Ifeanyi, disclosed the initiative during an interview in Asaba while responding to allegations leveled against his ministry by some town planning consultants.
According to Anoka, the ministry has been battling entrenched fraudulent practices, including document forgery and unauthorized plan approvals, some allegedly involving the use of stamps belonging to deceased planning officials.
“One of our biggest challenges in this ministry is the high level of fraud,” Anoka said. “We’ve introduced a coding system to track and verify approvals, and we’re digitizing the entire process to make it more transparent.”
The Commissioner cited examples where Area Planning Officers (APOs) assigned to one locality were caught issuing approvals in areas beyond their jurisdiction. He emphasized that neither he nor the Permanent Secretary has the authority to issue approvals directly, as the task lies solely with designated APOs.
“With coding now in place, the PS can monitor approvals in real time. Those who benefit from the old, opaque system are unhappy, but this is necessary if we want to restore credibility,” Anoka stated.
He added that digitization would allow users to apply for land and building permits remotely, enhancing transparency and cutting off avenues for fake approvals. “The public has raised serious concerns about fraudulent planning documents. Our goal is to bring accountability back into the process.”
To further strengthen compliance, the ministry has established a Development Control Unit responsible for routine site inspections. A taskforce will now be deployed regularly to verify whether ongoing constructions align with approved plans.
“We’re not just digitizing; we’re also stepping up enforcement. Any staff member found complicit in fraudulent activities will be sanctioned,” he warned.
Since the implementation of the coding system, the ministry has reportedly increased its monthly revenue from building approvals, raking in over N40 million up from a previous average of N8 to N15 million.
However, some private town planning consultants, speaking anonymously, have criticized the ministry for what they described as undue interference in their operations. They alleged that the Permanent Secretary was now directly involved in granting approvals contrary to established procedure.
Despite the criticisms, the Commissioner maintained that the reforms were necessary to sanitize the system and ensure that development across the state adheres to proper standards.
