By: Valentine Adese (JP),
In order to help the Plateau State Government improve its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), the Chairman of ALGON, Plateau State chapter, Hon. Shehu Bala, who doubles as the Chairman of Jos-North Local Government, the German firm, GIZ, the Plateau State Business Community, among other Stakeholders, have shown and expressed support for the implementation of the Plateau State Land Use Charge Law 2021 and the Plateau State Geographic and Information Services (PLAGIS) Law 2021 in the state.
This support was made public, during the Stakeholders’ Engagement on the implications of the two Laws on the state’s IGR, organized by the Plateau State Ministry of Lands, Survey and Town Planning in conjunction with GIZ, at the Festival Hall of Crest Hotel Jos, on Thursday, 10th March, 2022.
Earlier, while declaring the Stakeholders’ Engagement meeting open, the Plateau State Governor, Simon Bako Lalong, represented by the State’s Commissioner of Budget and Planning, Hon. Sylvester said, the engagement would enable standards to be established by the Stakeholders so that, everybody would be carried along and nobody would feel cheated.
Adding in part that, “If you register your property and proper documentation is done nobody can cheat you.
“We must therefore avail ourselves to the benefits of the new ways things are done. We must cooperate with one another and key into the vision of the state Government”.
In its good will message during the occasion, the representative of GIZ, Hauwa Mankilik said, GIZ has been supporting the Plateau State Government and has been helping the state improve on the enabling environments that would help in increasing its IGR. Hence, the firm was willing to support the Stakeholders’ Engagement on the two Laws by the Plateau State Ministry of Land, Survey and Town Planning.
Adding that, “We believe we will see a better result, when we look at where we are now and where we will be in future”.
In his welcome address, the Commissioner of the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Town Planning, Mr. Yakubu Dati, had explained that, the Plateau State Land Use Charge Law 2021 and the Plateau State Geographic and Information Services (PLAGIS) Law 2021, are two critical laws passed by the Plateau State House of Assembly to aid revenue collections from land administration.
Mr. Dati in his address stated that, “It is for this and other reasons that the Management of the Ministry deemed it necessary to organize this stake holders’ engagement in order to bring heads of government Ministries, Agencies, Departments, development partners and members of the business community especially the Small and Medium Sale Enterprises in the state who are clients of the ministry under one roof to present theselaws, appreciate their implications on land administration and to chart a way forward for the growth and development of the state through increased revenue generation from the collective collaboration of all critical stakeholders.
“It is imperative to state, that the business community especially the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises are close to the hart of the administration of this government. This is evident in the evident in the 50% waiver granted by His Excellency on all land based transactions with the Ministry since the inception of his administration.
“The business community is therefore urged to take advantage of these reliefs by cooperating with government while saving huge resources through timely payment of their Property and Land Use Charge.
“With the PLAGIS Law now in place, the tone has also been set for the constitution of its Board which the law empowers to innovate its operations in a simplified manner to enhance revenue collections in synergy with the Ministry.
“On the whole, the Ministry is not leaving any stone unturned in its bid to becoming the major revenue earner of the state and a critical stake holder in the realization of His Excellency’s vision for the state which can only be realized with the cooperation of the citizens of Plateau State and especially, members of the business community.
“I therefore urge you not to hold back in your opinions and suggestions which could make the difference between success and failure and because we have no intention of failing, as partners in progress, I urge you to apply your wealth of experience in the discussions on these laws in order to guide us on the path of increase in the area of revenue generation in the state while applying the laws’.
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