By Maduka Nweke
Government at the centre and states usually exercise unreserved authority over land in their respective domains, a situation which has restricted villagers and communities from owning and making use of their ancestral lands.
To exercise control over the land, government makes rules and regulations that would forestall clash of interest when such rules are enforced. These land regulations and controls are, therefore, used to restrict the rights of private land holders in the use of land as well as for protecting public interest in the use of private land.
The regulations stem from the need to provide public amenities, increase the efficiency of land use, limit urban sprawl and unnecessary encroachment on agricultural land, and to achieve economies of scale and least-cost production of public services. The regulations are also used to ensure the availability of land to all groups, and to ensure that the benefits of development go to the community as a whole.
This has also created fear in the minds of people who may not have the time, fund or the contact to get the land they need for property or industrial development. Those who cannot acquire lands by this way usually go to waterfronts where they may not be checked, and erect any-how hut to have a roof over their heads.
According to researchClue, an online report, if you buy land in Nigeria and you do not have the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) from the government, it is not yours; all you have is a lease, which means you do not have a freehold on the land. Consequently, you cannot have access to any loan or do anything tangible if you do not have fund of your own; not even the National Housing Fund (NHF) set up by the government to render such assistance can come to your aid.
Yet, getting the C of O is even more difficult than getting the land itself. All efforts by some state governments, especially the Lagos, Anambra states and other state governments, to ease the procedure and collection have been described as mere gimmicks. There have been series of cases where governors wield their powers to revoke legally acquired rights of occupancy in a supposed interest of the public, when it was obvious that they were done on political reasons, especially against oppositions.
Former President Olusegun Obsanjo, who authored the Act during his first military administration had to reassure Nigerians on September 26, 2001 in Abuja that, “no government owns land” and that “land belongs to the people”. Obasanjo made the statement while condemning the excesses of some governors. The major concern, therefore, is how the Act has affected sustainable housing development schemes in Nigeria.
Reacting on the issue, Mr. Chudi Okafor, an estate developer said the fact that government mapped out plans on how to tackle housing deficits does not mean it is serious in handling the matter. He noted that until government begins to build 10,000 houses in every major city in every state and lease them to the masses who are greatly effected by the housing deficits, all the pronouncements will not be taken seriously.
“If government had declared a state of emergency in the housing sector the way it did in the aviation sector, and the way it handled the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the issue of housing deficits in the country would have been a forgotten issue,” he said.
HOME MANAGEMENT:
Natural ways to make tile floors shine
By Angela LaFollette
Tile floors lose their shine after a while due to dirt, stains and wear. When tile floors are no longer shiny, they appear dull and unpleasant to look at. Instead of ignoring dull floors, take a little time to return their shine so they look appealing again. Commercial products may cost a lot of money, and it can be difficult to determine which ones will clean your floor the best. To save money and help to protect the environment from dangerous chemicals, use natural ingredients in your home to clean your tile floors.
Vinegar
Combine 1 part water with 1 part white distilled vinegar in a 1-gallon bucket. Stir the solution to mix the vinegar into the water. Using undiluted vinegar can damage your tile’s grout. Vinegar will disinfect the tile floors and deodorize them. Mop the floors with the diluted vinegar, and always wring out the excess liquid to prevent saturating the tile. Alternatively, you can pour the diluted vinegar into a spray bottle. Spray the floor in small sections and mop each area until you have cleaned the entire floor.
Ammonia
Combine 1/4 cup of ammonia with 1 gallon of warm water in a bucket. Soak a mop in the solution and wring out the excess water. Mop the tile floor to disinfect it. If the tile floor contains odd yellow discolorations or mildew, the ammonia will return the tiles back to their original shine. Dip a sponge or a nylon scouring pad in the solution and scrub on the floors gently. Rinse the ammonia solution with clean water and wipe the floor with a washcloth to remove any lingering residue.
Baking Soda
Baking soda will remove tough tile and grout stains if the floors appear dirty or discolored. Combine an equal amount of baking soda with warm water to create a thick paste. Dip a soft-bristle toothbrush into the baking soda and scrub the grout and tiles. Allow the baking soda to sit for 10 minutes, then rinse the tiles with warm water. Repeat the process on the tile floor to remove any obvious stains.
Vinegar, Borax and Ammonia
When you have tough soap scum or dirt buildup on tile floors, you can return the shine by combining common household items to create a powerful cleaner. Reader’s Digest suggests combining 1/2 cup of white vinegar with 1/2 cup of ammonia and 1/4 cup of borax. Add 1 gallon of warm water to the ingredients and stir slightly to combine them well. Mop the tile floor with the cleaning solution, then rinse the floor well. Allow the floor to air-dry completely.
– Courtesy: Hunker.com