Enugu State Gov. Signs Land Use Regulation, Executive Order Creating New Urban Areas

In exercise of his powers under the Land Use Act 1978, gover­nor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, on Thursday, signed Land Use Regulation 2025 as well as Executive Order No. 1, 2025, designating some areas in the state as urban areas.

By the provisions of the Ex­ecutive Order, entitled, ‘Enugu State Designation of Land as Urban Areas,’ the entire Enugu East, Enugu North, and Enugu South local government areas have been designated urban areas.

Likewise, the entire Udi LGA, Nkanu West LGA, Nk­anu East LGA, and Nsukka LGA have been designated as urban areas.

In the same vein, parts of some LGAs have been des­ignated urban areas. Conse­quently, Ndeabor Urban Area measuring 10km radius and Oduma Urban Area, measur­ing 20km radius both in Aninri LGA; Agwu Town measuring 25km radius, Ihe, Agbogugu, Mgbowo, Isu-Awa, Mmaku, Ituku, and Owelli-Court; Aguobuowa and Oghe in Ezeagu LGA; Ogbede, Ukehe, and Aku in Igbo-Etiti; Enugu Ezike in Igbo Eze North LGA; Ibagwa Aka in Igbo Eze South LGA; and Ikem and Eha-Amu­fu in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area have been so designated.

The Executive Order equal­ly designated urban areas: Oji-River, Ugwuoba, and Inyi in Oji-River LGA; Obollo-Afor and Orba in Udenu LGA; Umu­lokpa and Adani in Uzo-Uwani LGA.

Meanwhile, speaking at the brief signing ceremony, Mbah said, “I have just a few minutes ago signed a Land Use Regula­tion of 2025, and also an Execu­tive Order designating certain locations of the state as urban areas.

“This is a major milestone that we have just witnessed. This is quite historic. This again is in line with what we witnessed a few weeks ago when we formally launched Enugu State Geographic In­formation System (ENGIS), a system that is designed to fast-track application for land titles, and indeed other administra­tive functions relating to land.

“So, what we have here to­day is going to bring clarity. As we all know, lack of transparen­cy feeds corruption. This is re­ally a major milestone towards our drive, not just to enhance the revenue of Enugu State, but to ensure ease of doing business where prospective ap­plicants can easily know what their fees are and the timelines that the application will be pro­cessed.

“Therefore, with what we have done here today, there is no more hidden charges when you apply for whatever land transaction, whether it is for search, titles or indeed for what­ever transactions you want to carry out relating to land in Enugu State.

“It is also going to end the era of double allocations, land grabbing, and all sorts of con­fusion that may have existed before now in our land man­agement system. They have now come to an end with the signing of this regulation.

“We have also expanded areas that before now we have designated as rural areas. That means effectively that those living in those locations are now able to come forward and apply for their title document and they will be able to obtain their Certificate of Occupancy for the property and assets they have there. Again, this brings further clarity to our land man­agement system.”

While commending his team for the good job done, the governor promised that there would be adequate public en­lightenment on the processes of land transactions under the new Order, Land Use Regula­tion, and the Enugu Geograph­ic Information Service.

“This regulation clearly spelt out the number of days it will require for any application, whether you are conducting your search or indeed applying to obtain your title document. The number, the timelines, your fees are spelt out. So, there is absolutely no confusion. So, I thank you all for all your ef­forts,” he concluded.