Land Dispute: PPBA, NGO moves to prevent communal conflict in Plateau
The perpetual conflict of the indiginity (Ownership of Jos), between the Anaguta, Biroms, Hausas and Jarawa, once again top the agenda when peace agencies met yesterday in Jos to brain storm end to communal crisis.
The forum consisting of the Plateau State Peace Building Agency (PPBA) and a non-governmental organization, Search For Common Ground, led other participants to fashion out ways to forestall peace among troubled communities where land disputes has hitherto led to civil unrest.
Speaking at the deliberation, the Director General, PPBA, Mr. Joseph Lengmang said land dispute can only be resolved when the parties
involved agree on the peaceful mechanism put in place by government.
Lengmang said the coming together of various peace group is a road map towards finding a lasting solution to the lingering crisis assuring that government will be briefed on the resolution reached.
Recall the scores of persons were reported dead last year following a disagreement on a farm land around Wase Tofa in Lamba
district of Wase Local Government Area.
Daily Times had reported that the dispute was between a Bogom man who is also the Mabudin Wase, Muhammad Babandina and a Tarok farmer over lease of land.
However, speaking with the Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Town Planning, Hon. Festus Fuanter, he said if the peace process is sustained and land owners meet all necessary requirements stipulated by government, the Ministry of Lands and Survey will not hesitate to issue Certificate of Occupancy.
Mr. Fuanter noted that the economy of the state has also been stagnated for the fact that people cannot access loans to finance their projects because they don’t have the necessary documents such as the Certificate of Occupancy which allows property owners to mortgage their property and obtain loans for the finance of their businesses, he said.
Also recall that since the dawn of the military era and other forms of administration that predated independent Nigeria, several panels and commissions have been set up to find how best to settle the perpetual land disputes on the Plateau.
