Lands Purportedly Revoked & Acquired Without Gov Ugwuanyi’s Approval Restored

The administration of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has restored Plot No. P/23CA Independence Layout, Enugu, which was purportedly revoked without the Governor’s approval pursuant to the Land Use Act, to the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) “in line with Allocation Reference No. LEN 29329/4 of 21st January 2011”. 


The restoration of the land to NULGE was contained in a letter to the union’s State President by the new Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Nnanyelugo Chidi Aroh, dated November 16, 2021.


Aroh disclosed that the action of the Ministry came after “we have carefully reviewed the protest from your organization (NULGE) and other affiliate bodies namely the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC)”. 


The Commissioner maintained that the purported revocation of the said land was done without the approval of the governor pursuant to the Land Use Act.


Aroh therefore stated that the State Ministry of Lands and Urban Development with the approval of Gov. Ugwuanyi “pursuant to the Land Use Act and contained in a letter reference No.GHS/56/LXIX/246 dated 11th November 2021, do hereby cancel and nullify any previous revocation of Plot No P/23CA Independence Layout, Enugu, having been done without the approval of His Excellency, the Governor of Enugu State”. 


The statement added that “the organization (NULGE) is therefore required to complete all processes of regularization and commence development immediately in line with extant laws and regulations”.


In a similar development, the Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Aroh, in a letter to HRH Igwe F.O Ugwu of Emene Nike Community, dated November 16, 2021, notified him of the state government’s cancellation and nullification of the Notice of Acquisition issued to Emene Community reference No. LEN 39902/2, covering 197.8 Hectares, shown in Survey Plan No. EN (E) 2802. 


Aroh pointed out that the Ministry’s decision has the approval of the governor pursuant to the Land Use Act contained in letter reference No. GHS/56/LXIX/293 of 11th November 2021.


“Subsequently, all rights and interests in the above described land revert to the Emene Community as was existing before the purported acquisition, which was done without the approval of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as required by the extant law”, the commissioner said.