Our services extend beyond the formulation and implementation of a relatable Resettlement Action Plan that benefits the project sponsor, members of the community and the society at large
Before the advent of a centralized style of government, to procure land for any purpose, you only need to meet the community leader or the family with an ancestral claim to the land before any transfer of ownership agreement can be finalized. Fast forward to this century, the acquisition of land has become more complex as the laws governing land ownership has evolved over time and become more complex.
The land use Act of 1978 established in Nigeria gave land administration power to the state and local Government. This act gave the sitting Governors in all state of the federation the exclusive power to allocate or revoke the rights of occupancy on any piece of land in the urban areas (except lands occupied by the Federal Government and its agencies). For non-urban areas, the act gave the administrative power to the Local Governments.
The implication of the above is that lots of lands that were hitherto solely recognized as the ancestral properties of some families/communities became the properties of the Government. These changes in ownership led to so many frictions between the initial landowners and the new Land Administrators (State and Local Governments). To compensate the affected persons/families, independent bodies (the Government or Development Agencies) introduced the Resettlement Action Plan.
A Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) is a plan formulated and implemented by the project sponsor (the Government or other legal entity) explaining in clear terms, the procedures it will take to compensate all the affected persons which the proposed project (A private or public initiative) will affect economically or physically.
The formulation of a Resettlement Action Plan is critical towards the successful execution of any development project that involves the displacement of people. In most cases, it is usually safer to complete the resettlement process of all affected persons in the intending community before commencing any form of construction activity.
A Resettlement Action Plan can be executed by providing an alternate location or monetary compensation. For projects initiated by the Government, compensation is almost always the RAP option since it is more flexible and it gives the two parties involved the option to maneuver and easily reach a consensus.
To successfully formulate a Resettlement Action Plan (Provision of alternate settlement or monetary compensation), one of the first steps that must be taken is the valuation of the affected property by a real estate broker with a good knowledge of property valuation in the affected area. Considering the fact that it is natural for people to express emotions towards the property, in most cases, one would need more than the correct valuation of the affected property to have a Resettlement Action Plan that is acceptable by the two parties involved.
Please note, the need for a Resettlement Action Plan in other parts of the Federation is not that prominent because large portions of land are still being owned by families/communities. As a result, all that is needed to own land is a strong bargaining power and financial strength.
The same cannot be said for the legal acquisition of virgin lands in Abuja due to the fact that ownership is shrouded in obscurity. Theoretically, all the portions of land that falls within the geographical area of Abuja are under the administration of the FCT Minister, Abuja. In practice, there is virtually no land in Abuja that does not have an ancestral link to a particular link/community.
To acquire such lands, you need more than an apt valuation from a real estate broker. Among the many things, you will need is the ability to connect with the local residents and appeal to their sentiments. With an experienced team of property lawyers, real estate valuers, surveyors and all other related professionals at our disposal, Lansar Aghaji & Co has been able to close so many land-related deals involving initial landowners and the prospective landowners by been able to draft a RAP that not only appeals to the former but is also meaningful to the latter.
At Lansar Aghaji & co, our services extend beyond the formulation and implementation of a relatable Resettlement Action Plan that benefits the project sponsor, members of the community and the society at large. As a fully-fledged real estate firm with a conglomerate of several real estate professionals, we can assist you with any form of real estate-related services. Contact us today for a free consultation.
