Mbah signs land use regulation, creates new urban areas

Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, yesterday, signed Land Use Regulation 2025 as well as Executive Order No. 1, 2025, designating some areas in the state as urban areas.

By the provisions of the Executive Order, entitled “Enugu State Designation of Land as Urban Areas,” the entire Enugu East, Enugu North, and Enugu South Local Government Areas have been designated urban areas.

Likewise, the entire Udi LGA, Nkanu West LGA, Nkanu East LGA, and Nsukka LGA have been designated as urban areas.

In the same vein, parts of some LGAs have been designated urban areas. Consequently, Ndeabor Urban Area measuring 10km radius and Oduma Urban Area, measuring 20km radius both in Aninri LGA; Agwu Town measuring 25km radius, Ihe, Agbogugu, Mgbowo, Isu-Awa, Mmaku, Ituku, and Owelli-Court; Aguobuowa and Oghe in Ezeagu LGA; Ogbede, Ukehe, and Aku in Igbo-Etiti; Enugu Ezike in Igbo Eze North LGA; Ibagwa Aka in Igbo Eze South LGA; and Ikem and Eha-Amufu in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area have been so designated.

The Executive Order equally designated urban areas Oji-River, Ugwuoba, and Inyi in Oji-River LGA; Obollo-Afor and Orba in Udenu LGA; Umulokpa and Adani in Uzo-Uwani LGA.

Speaking at the brief signing ceremony, Mbah said, “I have just a few minutes ago signed a Land Use Regulation of 2025, and also an Executive Order designating certain locations of the state as urban areas.

“This is a major milestone that we have just witnessed. This is quite historic. This again is in line with what we witnessed a few weeks ago when we formally launched the Enugu State Geographic Information System, ENGIS, a system that is designed to fast-track applications for land titles, and indeed other administrative functions relating to land.

“So, what we have here today is going to bring clarity. As we all know, lack of transparency feeds corruption. This is really a major milestone towards our drive, not just to enhance the revenue of Enugu State, but to ensure ease of doing business where prospective applicants can easily know what their fees are and the timelines that the application will be processed.

“Therefore, with what we have done here today, there is no more hidden charges when you apply for whatever land transaction, whether it is for search, titles or indeed for whatever transactions you want to carry out relating to land in Enugu State.

“It is also going to end the era of double allocations, land grabbing, and all sorts of confusion that may have existed before now in our land management system. They have now come to an end with the signing of this regulation.

“We have also expanded areas that before now we have designated as rural areas. That means effectively that those living in those locations are now able to come forward and apply for their title document and they will be able to obtain their Certificate of Occupancy for the property and assets they have there. Again, this brings further clarity to our land management system.”