By joshua 
From TERESE TUHWA, Makurdi.
In order to fast track speedy land administration in the state, Benue state Governor Samuel Ortom has signed over five hundred and fifty certificates of occupancy in the last one month.
Commissioner for lands, survey and solid minerals Mr. Bernard Unenge who made this revelation recently in his office in Makurdi during a media interaction with journalists said with the digitisation of land administration through the Benue Geographic Information Service (BENGIS), processing of land titles has been made seamless, explaining that all land transactions in the state were fully digitised in order to phase out cases of illegal land transaction.
Mr. Unenge while fieldling questions from newsmen on the lingering crises between the Nigeria Air force and host communities over land explained that efforts were being intensified to trace out the actual land that was allocated to the Nigeria Air force, affirming that the 1971 map signed by then military government was found and it was discovered that three hundred and fifty hectares of the land were ceded back to the host communities.
On those carrying out mining activities in different parts of the state, the commissioner said the ministry has sent out agents to take stock of where the mining sites are located with a view to advising government on how those involved in the activities will be incorporated through licencing instead of declaring them illegal miners since their activities are aimed at job creation.
He advised prospective land owners to always visit the ministry to verify genuineness or otherwise of land titles they intend to buy in order to avoid cases of double standard from land dealers and urged those who have acquired land over twenty years without titles to approach the ministry for processing of their title document without further delay.
While commending governor Samuel Ortom for timely release of funds for the timely completion of BENGIS project, Mr. Unenge told newsmen that the ministry has concluded arrangement to construct BENGIS zonal offices in Gboko, Otukpo and Adikpo to address land issues at the zonal levels from intending land owners without necessarily coming to Makurdi the headquarters.
Explaining the processes for acquisition of land, the commissioner said the cost of opening a file for residential purposes was #19, 000 while the fee for commercial was #32, 500, adding that fee for certificate of occupancy per square metre was #100.
He further explained that following the tax holiday being declared by governor Samuel Ortom, the fee has been slashed to #50 per square metre while survey fee has been slashed from #50 to #25 per square metre.
The commissioner maintained that in furtherance to seamless and speedy land administration in the state, the ministry has given authorization to some certified surveyors the instruction to carry out survey for their clients and advised prospective land owners to always approach the land ministry for better clarification in whatever form of land transaction especially in Makurdi the state capital.