ANALYSIS OF PRACTICE OF REVOCATION OF RIGHTS OF OCCUPANCY IN SOUTH-EAST, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study analysed the practice of revocation of rights of occupancy in South-East, Nigeria. A number of issues have been observed to arise from the process of and execution of the revocation of rights of occupancy in the zone. The issues include poor process of service of notice of revocation of the rights of occupancy, degree of knowledge of the rationale for revocation by the stakeholders, impracticability of relocation/resettlement of rights of occupancy holders among others. Data were gathered through the use of structured questionnaires served on a sample size of 111 selected from land officers and real estate surveying and valuation practitioners in the states. Descriptive statistical techniques which measure percentage and mean score were adopted to analyze the data and results were presented using tables. The results revealed that truncation of due process of expropriation of private estates in land, limited knowledge on parts of stakeholders, lack of transparency in the revocation exercises and non-feasibility of the of relocation/resettlement provision of the Act impact on the exercise of revocation of rights of occupancy authority of the governors in the South-East, Nigeria. Based on the findings the there are needs: to expressly include what constitutes sufficient service of notice of revocation of rights of occupancy in the Land Use Act; for advocacy and education of the stakeholders on the essence of requirement of the land by government; and policy requirement that only registered estate surveyors and valuers can serve as attorneys to the rights of occupancy holders affected by revocation for peaceful and seamless exercise of power of eminent domain in the zone.

Keywords: Land Officers, Notice, Relocation/Resettlement, Revocation, Rights of Occupancy