Kwara state suspends urban law

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Nigeria’s Kwara state has suspended the implementation of the Urbanisation Law 2009, which empowered the state government to acquire lands in the public interest.

The governor, who announced the suspension today in Ilorin via a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Strategy, Dr Femi Akorede, said that the suspension was because of the people’s opposition and that a review by the House of Assembly has been ordered.

He said that the Ministry of Housing and the Bureau of Land have been directed to desist from implementing the law, pending its review by the lawmakers.

According to him, members of the public should not entertain any fear and misgiving about the law since the lawmakers will review the law before its application.

He said that his administration was willing suspend the law, so as to give room for the deliberations of major stakeholders on the government land policy.

Ahmed urged all the stakeholders to maintain peace, assuring them that the government would continue to engage the people in the discussion of public issues in the overall public interest.

Former Gov. Bukola Saraki had earlier called for better public understanding of the law, saying that his administration enacted the law in the interest of the people.

He stressed that he could not have enacted a law that was injurious to the people, reiterating that the law, which would foster the state’s development, was for the collective good of the people.

Also speaking, Alhaji Kwau Baraje, a former Acting National PDP Chairman, appealed to the people to exercise patience with government on the issue.

He appealed to the people to give the government some time to take appropriate action on the matter since it had decided to review the law.

Baraje advised the people not to allow the opposition to disrupt the peace of the state over trivial issue.

He noted that the immediate-past governor had explained his reason for enacting the law, adding that the people should, therefore, show more understanding on the issue and give peace a chance.