Delta State Government has commenced move to digitalise land acquisition process to check fraudulent activities in the State.
The commissioner of Land for Urban Renewal, Mr Michael Anoka Ifeanyi, stated this on Tuesday, in Asaba, Delta State, while responding to allegation made by some town planning consultants against the ministry.
He said, “Our major challenge in this ministry is fraud, so, the Ministry has put measures in place to checkmate the fraud in the system.
“One of the measures put in place is by coding, We are trying to digitize the approval process, so that we can identify the particular APO that gives approval for plan.
“The Ministry was in a situation where you see Area Operation Officer in Asaba went as far as Oghara to approve a plan, you will see APO in Abraka approving a plan in Ughelli.
“The major problem we have is forgery in the system. Some people used a dead man (APO) stamp to approve plan.
“I want to tell you that as a Commissioner I don’t give approval for a plan, neither the PS of the ministry give approval rather approval is done by APO’s. , what we did is coding so that PS can be aware of such approval.
“They are not happy with this coding. We believe with the aide of digitization, it will reduce fraud and shape practicing in the state, we are having a lot of complain from the public regarding the plan.
“So, with digitization, wherever you are, you can process the form, that will bring transparency and accountability and to reduced fake approvals in the state.”
The Commissioner disclosed that the Ministry has also created a Development unit for regular inspection because buildings are springing up in the state, hence the need for regular inspection to reduce the rate of fraud.
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