By Kingsley Agim
The Cross River State Government, through the Department of Asset Management and Recovery and the Ministry of Lands, has intensified efforts to reclaim public property illegally occupied by individuals and groups, warning violators to vacate or face legal action.
This warning was issued on Monday during an inspection of encroached land at Government College (formerly Teachers’ Training College), Ikot Ansa, Calabar Municipality. The delegation was led by Barr. Gilbert Agbor, Special Adviser to the Governor on Asset Management and Recovery, and Chief Francis Ekpenyong, Commissioner for Lands. They were accompanied by key government officials, including the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Lands, ESV Gold Okpo Ita, and the Director of Lands, ESV Kekpam Ene.
The inspection revealed widespread encroachment on school property, raising concerns about the increasing disregard for public land regulations.
Barr. Agbor condemned the illegal occupation of government land, emphasizing Governor Bassey Otu’s administration’s unwavering commitment to reclaiming state assets. He also issued a strong warning to government officials found colluding with private individuals and community leaders to unlawfully acquire public land.
Commending the Commissioner for Lands for ordering the demolition of an unauthorized perimeter fence on the disputed land, Barr. Agbor reaffirmed the government’s zero-tolerance stance on land encroachment.
“No matter how long illegal occupants hold onto public land, the government will always reclaim what rightfully belongs to the people,” he declared.
The Asset Recovery Team called on stakeholders in the Ministry of Lands, the Surveyor General’s Office, the Cross River Geographic Information Agency (CRGIA), and other relevant agencies to provide intelligence on additional government lands wrongfully acquired.
In response, Commissioner for Lands, Chief Francis Ekpenyong, pledged full cooperation in the government’s asset recovery efforts, vowing to provide the necessary documentation and intelligence to aid the process.
He condemned the unauthorized sale of government land by some community members, stressing that such illegal transactions would be nullified.
The government’s decisive action has garnered public support, with concerned citizens urging authorities to remain firm in reclaiming encroached land.
A resident of Ikot Ansa, who spoke anonymously, expressed optimism that the land would be restored for its intended educational purpose.
“I look forward to seeing the government reclaim this land and develop it for effective teaching and learning,” he stated.
The Cross River State Government remains resolute in its mission to recover and safeguard public assets. As enforcement efforts continue, the administration is committed to ensuring that public property serves its rightful purpose—enhancing infrastructure, education, and development for the benefit of all citizens.
This exercise should also be extended to UNICROSS where trespassers/squatter settlement are comfortably building on the University land & have even created to a community. What beats my imagination is that this same squatters use the university roads to gain access to theirs homes with the University security doing nothing about it.
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