SYSTEMATIC LAND TITLING REGISTRATION (SLTR): A SUCCESSFUL PRODUCT OF GIZ INTERVENTION IN PLATEAU STATE

 

I had informed you my esteemed reader in a previous publication on this platform that the Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit otherwise known as German Development Agency (GIZ) has been working hard in Plateau state to improve the business environment of the state. I promised to present in a subsequent publication the particular achievement of GIZ in this regard: helping the Ministry of Lands and Survey, Plateau state to dismantle, eliminate and indeed overcome the cumbersome processes and procedures associated with Land registration in the state.

I noted in this platform that Registering of property is one of the Business Enabling Environment (BEE) issues identified as a key aspect of the business environment in Nigeria, by the World Bank Doing Business Survey. To improve this situation in Plateau state, the German Development Agency (GIZ) has supported the Ministry of Lands and Survey, Plateau state to produce a new land Registration and management system known as the Systematic Land Titling Registration (SLTR). The aim is to improve the business environment in Plateau state by eliminating the constraints and encumbrances associated with land registration and administration in Plateau state.

I deposited very clearly in the previous publication that before the Systematic Land Titling Registration system in Plateau state, the processes and procedures of Property registration were characterised by challenges that made the inclusion of Property Registration a BEE constraint in Nigeria were prevalent, hence property registration was a serious impediment to the development of the business activities of the MSMEs in Plateau state. In summary, the challenges identified in the previous piece are:

• The number of steps or processes involved before a property (land) is registered
• The time or duration required to complete the process
• The financial involvement, or cost implication of the exercise
• The cost or financial implication of each step, process and procedure
• The slow pace of the activities that eventually result to long duration

On the basis of the above, two equations were formulated to illustrate the situation:

1.       Multiple steps + slow processes per step = long duration and

2.       Long duration + high cost per step = cumbersome or difficult business terrain (inefficiency)

I will be quick to note here that GIZ’s involvement in the Plateau state land registration system was to remove the inefficiency that was identified in the system. Thus, the GIZ embarked on skills Development of the state functionaries to bring them up to date with the capacity required to relate effectively with the soon to be introduced system: the Systematic Land Titling Registration.

Among major benefits that the new system: SLTR has brought into the Plateau state Land Registration and administration so far are:

• Speed
• Convenience and
• Transparency

Another is the fact that the cost or financial implication of the services of the Ministry of Lands and Survey, Plateau state are now more affordable than before. This is buttressed by the fact that the State Governor, RT Hon. Barr Simon Bako Lalong accelerated the process, reducing all processing fees by 50% for the processing of documents such as:

• Registration of Occupancy (R of O) and
• Certificate of Occupancy (C of O)
• Mortgages,
• Dissolution order,
• Sub-leases, etc.

To be continued… 

Nnabugwu Chizoba

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