Obaseki gave the commendation when he received the newly inaugurated Governing Council of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) who were on a courtesy visit at the Government House, Benin City.
The governor said his administration is taking seriously the issue of encroachment and land grabbing as it portrays the state in bad light, assuring the institution that his administration will do everything necessary to recover portions of its land that had been encroached upon.
Hailing the Benin monarch for his stance against the activities of land grabbers and support for the state’s new property protection law, Obaseki said, “We are taking very seriously the issue of land encroachment and if we don’t, even the Edo State Government House will be encroached on.
“We are glad that we have promulgated and re-enacted the law on private property protection and banned the activities of community youths perpetrating this act. I am happy to inform you that the palace of the Oba of Benin is standing with the Edo State Government on this.
“The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, is very much with the government on this, as youths protested to his palace on this and he stood firm with the action of the government. The traditional Institutions and the government do not support this act of encroachment. We will ensure that we curtail it and recover as much land that has been encroached.”
He further stated: “Land encroachment and land grabbing is something we are taking very seriously. We enacted a law last week and have a Special Court to prosecute offenders and are ready to send as many of them to jail as possible.
“We cannot be talking of attracting Investors and expanding facilities in the state while some persons will come overnight to take land from people as if there is no law in Nigeria.”
Earlier, the Chairman of the Governing Council of UNIBEN, Dr. Sonny Kuku, thanked the governor for his developmental strides, which was also extended to the institution as roads and infrastructural facilities in the school were also upgraded.
