Gombe gov’t asks residents to suspend work on customary lands

The Gombe State Government has directed residents to suspend all ongoing construction works on plots of land designated for the Gombe Capital Special Development Zone.

A task force constituted for the implementation of the zone gave the warning when its members visited the affected residents of Wuro-Liman community of Garko Ward in Akko Local Government Area of the state.

The state’s Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mr Julius Ishaya, said the task force visited the community to communicate its plans as it affected those with customary land titles.

Mr Ishaya explained that the suspension of construction works was to give way for a census of the existing structures in the affected area, to integrate customary titles into government layout.

He warned owners of the affected lands to comply with the directive and avoid a situation whereby the government would be left with no option than to enforce the compliance.

According to him, the integration process will enable government to provide basic essential services like access roads.

He said, “People should not panic as the state government has no plans to take over or revoke your lands. Most importantly, at the end of the exercise you will have titles that will serve as collateral at whatever level you want to use it.”