The Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, on Monday, lamented that low acquisition of proper land documents had adverse effects on economic growth, saying that regularisation of Certificate of Occupancy would promote businesses through access to bank loans.

Fayemi said, “It has been noticed that lack of proper title documents has impeded land owners from unlocking their property and creating capital. They can’t use it as collaterals in banks and get loans without proper document”.

The governor, represented by the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Akin Oyebode, spoke in Ado Ekiti while presenting C of O to 237 property owners under ‘C of O Made Easy Programme’ initiated by the Fayemi government.

He said, “Part of the ways to achieve sustainable economic growth is for landowners to regularise their documents. With this policy, the government has relaxed some of the administrative bottlenecks and reduced the required fees.

“I am happy that these 237 people will now have their documents given to them having applied for their certificates. With this, you now have valid and legal documents that guarantee your ownership of these landed property and you can also use them to further your business interest”.

The governor said that apart from boosting business interests, the policy would minimise the issue of disputes over landed property, saying it would help in tackling land grabbers and other fraudulent practices in land related matters in the state.

“You can also sell your lands at higher values, while it will complement our digitasation of landed property policy and GIS programmes,” he said.

The Chairman, Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service, Mr Muyiwa Ogunmilade, said the land documents’ regularisation programme initiated by Fayemi was a clear attestation to the governor’s avowed stand to propel businesses and vanish social unrest from Ekiti.

Ogunmilade said, “Getting these valid documents within a period of three months unlike before is clear evidence that Ekiti has overcome the bottlenecks being encountered in acquisition of C of O. This policy helps in getting land documents cheaper, faster and in less cumbersome way. A lot of people are now applying to regularise their land documents as a result of this programme.”