In view to improve its revenue base, Plateau State Government is embarking on enumeration of properties, recertification of titles and issuance of demand notice for payment of ground rent.The Plateau State Commissioner of Lands, Survey and Town Planning, Yakubu Dati, who stated this at a stakeholders engagement in Jos, also disclosed that the government targets standardisation and conversion of titles from customary to statutory.

In a keynote address on “Efficient Land Administration and Revenue,” Vice Chancellor of Plateau State University, Prof. Yohana Izam, charged the ministry to simplify access to titles as a means to improve revenue.In her remarks, a former chairman, Federal Inland Revenue and Managing Partner,Compliance Professionals Plc (CPP), Mrs. Ifeako Okauru, urged stakeholders to familiarise themselves with the Consolidated Revenue Law and payment of taxes, rates and fees as a civic responsibility.

Similarly, representatives of estate surveyors, builders, private school proprietors, Nigerian Bar association (NBA), Organised Private Sector and other stakeholders pledged to support the initiative.The Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Danladi Atu, the Chief of Staff, Noel Donjur and Chairman of Plateau State Economic Team, Nde Ezekiel Gomos, commended the ministry for bringing professionals, technocrats, development partners and clients of the ministry together to brain storm on the growth and development of the state.

In his remarks, His Royal Majesty, the LongTehl, Donald Puntehl, said traditional rulers will continue to play their roles as mediators between customary landowners and government.The permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr. Ambrose Allaburah, said land-based revenue has been identified as the new black gold of the 21st century, owing to the dwindling income generated from crude oil occasioned by alternative energy sources such as solar and biofuel, which is eroding the dependence hitherto placed on crude oil.