Coalition Vows To Reacquire Community Lands From Edo Govt

By Lucky Isibor 

The Edo chapter of Coalition Against Land Grabbing and Deforestation (CALD) has vowed to retrieve their community lands given to individuals and companies in the various communities in the local government areas where land has been allegedly taken by Edo State government and ceded to individuals and companies. 

The coalition made its position known at a press conference in Benin City on Thursday, March 16.

Addressing the press, the coordinator of the Edo State Chapter of the Coalition Against Land Grabbing and Deforestation, Tony Erah pointed out that all the parcels of land that were retrieved from land grabbers in Edo State in Owan West, Uhunwonde, Orhionmwon, Ovia North East and Ovia South West by previous administrations have been given back to the individuals and companies, thereby depriving the community members who are mostly farmers their means of livelihood just as the environment is being degraded by the land grabbers. 

All lands in its vastness that belong to the local communites in Edo State have been grabbed by the Edo State government especially under the Mr. Godwin Obaseki administration.

In 2016, about 14,000 hectares of such land grabbed by some companies and individuals were voided, revoked and given back to the communities.

We saw a situation, where Mr. Obaseki who was an integral part of that government that took that decision for the revocation of the land and he came in again as Governor and gave the same land that was revoked to the same companies from who the land was earlier revoked. Why should the land already dereserved, be given back to the communites be given out again.

Some of our communities supported Obaseki with our resources in his first coming thinking he would sustain the policy of the revocation of those lands already handed over to the communites, but has now turned around to give out the land.

While reading out the resolution of the coalition which consists of communities in Owan West, Uhunwonde, Orhionmwon, Ovia North East and Ovia South West, Erah said, "We must take back our possessions our forest lands that have been grabbed and taken away from us. 

"We must do everything within the confines of the law to ensure that the additional lands they want to grab from us are not taken away from us. 

"The Edo State House of Assembly as presently constituted that have not been representing us should not be allowed to come back. That's why we are saying we must not vote them in next Saturday's election. We must vote those who will truly represent us, who will not go and sell us into slavery."

Contributing, Comrade Ugbo also deployed the issue of land grabbing and deforestation, noting that even the free areas where the local inhabitants in the communities are being taken away by some individuals and companies thereby depriving the people of their ancestral farming lands adding that the government is only holding the land in trust for the people pointing out a trustee cannot sell anything under its trusteeship. 

"The provisions our laws empowers the government to hold the land in trust for the people, not to take ownership of the land. As I speak to you, the vast majority of lands in Evboisi, Urhonigbe and other communities have been given to individuals and companies. "

The Edo State Government at different fora has reinterated its resolve to collaborate with investors to develop the agricultural sector and reactivation of rubber plantations and palm plantations in its bid to create employment.