By Reginald Esho Ayemoba
The Edo State Government has said the state is working with real estate developers and other key players in the built environment space to sanitize the state’s property market and check against quackery so as to ensure that operators adopt international best practices.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning, Urban and Regional Development, Ms. Isoken Omo disclosed this during a meeting with stakeholders in the built environment sector in the state held at the John Oyegun Public Service Academy in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
She said the meeting was called to constructively engage with developers in the state and ensure that they operate within the ambit of the law, noting that it was expedient to ensure that all estate development projects are approved and in line with the state’s masterplan.
According to her, “We want to ensure that all stakeholders in the state are aware of government plans towards actualizing the Edo Regional Development Plan and the Benin City Masterplan.”
The Commissioner said: “So far, over 20,000 properties have been visited. We have records of 81,000 residents in six communities in Oredo and parts of Ikpoba-Okha through the Operation Plan Edo (OPE) which is being coordinated by several critical Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government within the ecosystem.
“As investors, get qualified architects, engineers, surveyors and registered builders while working on your estate development. Do not patronize quacks.”
On his part, Managing Director, Edo-Geographic Information System (Edo-GIS), Arc. Frank Evbomwan, said, unlike what was obtained in the past, the process for securing a C-of-O has been made seamless, as all encumbrances have been removed.
“The process is now easy. However, the basic thing is to have a very good title and you must satisfy all legal requirements. Incomplete submission of documents, litigation, and encroachment into government acquisition could also affect the processes,” he noted.
The MD also advised estate developers to ensure that they verify the status of property they intend to acquire from Edo-GIS and ensure developments do not fall under already redesigned areas within the masterplan.
Responding on behalf of the estate developers, Chairman, Real Estate Developers of Nigeria, Edo State Chapter, Mr. Chris Ebea, commended the state government for the timely engagement with developers and stated that the association is taking steps to reduce quackery in the system.