Housing minister says Land Use Act is not defective

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has revealed his thoughts on the Land Use Act of 1978.

According to him, the Land Use Act is still serving it's purpose.

"This is so because land is a state matter. If anybody is going to amend the Act it should be the state governor who can amend it or the Minister of Federal Capital Territory because the Federal Government does not own land.

The Federal Government does not own land except the one it acquires from the state or granted by the state.

In deciding whether to amend the Act or not to amend it, the anomaly of having the Act as part of constitution as a one-off should be put into consideration.

They put the Act in the constitution to protect it,’’ said Fashola.

The minister added that it needs no change.

"Some people hold that view but there is no empirical study and evidence to prove that that is the problem.

There is access to land administration challenges, there is cost of doing business relating to cost of perfecting transaction relating to land.

But I do not think that the evidence that I have seen suggest that it is the Land Use Act that is the problem,’’ the minister said.