To keep the state afloat, Edo State government has announced plans to generate N6 billion monthly from land transactions. The state’s Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare made the disclosure in a chat with newsmen in Benin City, while speaking on the state government efforts to improve its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and reduce the menace of land grab in the state.

He assured that the burden of meeting the N6 billion IGR target will not be on the people already in the tax net but by leveraging on land transactions to attract money for the government to improve basic infrastructures.

The commissioner said the new tax regime would take off in January next year. He defended the new target, saying that it is achievable because the government has land properties and created an enabling environment for businesses and investments in the state to thrive.

He continued: “We must recognise and acknowledge that our land is our oil. The revenue generation will come from land-related matters and we will be putting in place all the necessary framework and laws to ensure we maximise all available tax collectable in our land administration.

“With N6 billion a month, we can do a lot more for Edo people. We will tackle the infrastructure deficits; spend more on roads, schools and health care, as well as employ more people, get the youths off the street by developing and teaching them new skills while preparing them for their future.”

The commissioner noted that the state government decided to claim its land in the Irhirhi area, measuring about 1,226 hectares, which was invaded by land grabbers, who criminally sold the land to unsuspecting members of the public, for the development of a new town.

Expressing optimism to ensure law and order in land administration, Nehikhare said that the police recently declared some people, involved in the illegal sale, wanted.

He said that while some of the actors have voluntarily gone to the police and cleared their names, others who are recalcitrant and have been linked with other crimes, like gun running, kidnapping and cultism.

Nehikhare decried the unscrupulous action of land grabbers mostly in Edo South Senatorial district.The commissioner said that often times than not, land grabbers declare war on neighbouring communities, killing and maiming each other just to have “rights to sell land”, albeit illegally.

“Edo State Government is serious about chasing these people, catching them and prosecuting them and enforcing the policy on land administration and building approvals and permits,” he added.